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GENERAL  GRANT 


BOY'S  LIFE 


OF 


GENERAL  GRANT 


By  THOMAS  W.  KNOX 

A  UTHOR  OF  "THE  BOY  TRA  VELLERS*  «  CAPTAIN  JOHN  CRANE* 

"A  CLOSE  SHA  VE»  "THE  TALKING  HANDKERCHIEF," 

"DECISIVE    BATTLES  SINCE    WATERLOO* 

"THE    LOST   ARMY*   ETC. 


miustratefc 


THE  SAALFIELD   PUBLISHING  CO. 

NEW  YORK  AKRON,    OHIO  CHICAGO 


Copyright,  1895, 

BY 

THE  MERRIAM  COMPANY 


Copyright,  1899, 

BY 

THE  WERNER  COMPANY 


Boy's  Life  of  General  Grant 


Made  by 

Robert  Smith  Printing  Co., 

Lansing,  Mich. 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

Ancestry. — Mathew  Grant. —  His  voyage  from  England  in  the  Mary 
and  John.  —  Settlement  at  Mattapan  near  Boston.  —  Moves  to  Wind- 
sor, Conn.  — Troublous  times  in  the  Colonies.  — How  people  went  to 
church. — Living  in  a  blockhouse.  —  Noah  Grant.  —  His  son  Noah 
Grant.  —  Jesse  R.Grant,  father  of  Ulysses. — Birth  of  our  hero. — 
What  he  says  of  his  parents 9-19 

CHAPTER  II. 

Weight  of  the  baby.  —  Giving  him  a  name.  — Hiram  Ulysses  Grant.  — 
Boyhood  of  Ulysses.  —  His  first  smell  of  powder.  —  Fondness  for  horses. 

—  His  skill  as  a  rider.  —  Hauling  wood  and  carrying  passengers. — 
Skating.  — How  his  frozen  feet  were  cured.  —  Hauling  logs  for  the  new 
jail.  —  What  "Dave  and  Me"  did.  —  Breaking  a  neighbor's  window 
by  accident 20-35 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  young  horsebreaker.  —  Riding  circus  ponies.  —  Young  Grant's  famous 
horse-trade.  —  Selling  a  refractory  horse.  —  Trips  to  Cincinnati.  —  Sent 
to  West  Point.  —  How  the  appointment  came  about.  —  Mistake  in  his 
name.  —  Grant's  sensitiveness  on  the  subject.  — Preparing  for  exami- 
nation. —  His  outfit.  —  Journey  to  West  Point. —  Canal,  stage,  railway, 
and  steamboat.  —  West  Point  and  its  history.  —  Grant's  proficiency. 

—  Excels  in  horsemanship 36-51 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Grant  thrashes  an  impertinent  student.  —  A  salutary  lesson.  —  "  Uncle 
Sam."  —  Popular  with  his  fellows.  —  An  arbiter  of  disputes. — First 
visit  home.  —  A  happy  reunion.  —  Graduates  from  the  Military  Acad- 
emy.—  His  standing  in  his  class.  —  Home  again.  —  Appointed  into 
the  Fourth  Infantry. —His  first  uniform.  —  Joins  liis  regiment  at  St. 

3 


4  CONTENTS. 

Louis.  —  Meets  his  future  wife.  —  Courtship  under  difficulties. — 
Troubles  between  Texas  and  Mexico.  —  Fourth  Infantry  ordered  to 
the  frontier 52-65 

CHAPTER  V. 

On  to  Texas.  —  General  Taylor.  —  Desires  of  the  Government.  —  State  of 
affairs  at  that  time.  —  Landing  of  the  Fourth  Infantry  at  Corpus 
Christi.  —  On  the  Nueces.  —  Grant's  personal  mishap.  —  Kinney,  the 
mule-trader.  —  Smuggling  as  a  profession. — Hunting  near  Corpus 
Christi.  —  Capturing  wild  horses.  —  Grant's  borse  transactions.  —  His 
promotion.  —  Brevet  rank.  — Marching  to  the  Rio  Grande.  —  Encoun- 
tering great  herds  of  wild  horses.  —  Sights  on  the  plains        .        66-78 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Arrival  opposite  Matamoras.  —  Fort  Brown  and  Brownsville.  —  Attack 
by  Mexicans.  —  Point  Isabel.  —  Sending  for  provisions.  —  Fort  Brown 
shelled.  —  Taylor's  return  from  Point  Isabel.  —  Attacked  by  the 
Mexican  army.  —  Battle  of  Palo  Alto. — An  artillery  duel.  —  Battle 
of  Resaca  de  la  Palma.  —  Victory  for  the  Americans.  — Grant's  part 
in  the  battles.  —  Return  to  Fort  Brown. — Occupation  of  Matamoras 
and  Camargo.  —  Movement  on  Monterey 79-93 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  battle  of  Monterey.  —  Strength  and  organization  of  the  army. — 
Defenses  of  the  city.  —  Bishop's  palace.  —  Black  Fort.  —  Movements 
of  Worth's  Division. —  Capture  of  the  Saltillo  Road.  —  Advance 
into  the  city. —  Grant  goes  for  ammunition.—  A  perilous  ride. —  General 
Ampudia  surrenders.  — Hoffman's  verses  on  "  Monterey."  —  Men  who 
became  famous.  —  Characteristics  of  General  Taylor.  —  His  hatred  of 
uniform.  — An  amusing  incident.  — An  armistice.  —Scott's  plans  for 
the  war.  —  Grant  goes  to  Vera  Cruz.  —  Battle  of  Buena  Vista,   94-106 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

March  from  Vera  Cruz.  —  Meeting  the  enemy.  —  Battle  of  Cerro  Gordo. 

—  Scott's  plan  of  battle. —  "Always  obey  your  superior  officer."  — 
Advance  to  Perote  and  Puebla.  —  A  long  wait  for  reinforcements.  — 
Advance  into  the  valley  of  Mexico.  —  Battles  of  Contreras  and  Chur- 
ubusco.  —  Attack  upon  the  city.  —  Grant's  exploit  at  Molino  del  Rey. 

—  In  a  church  belfry  with  a  howitzer.  —  Grant's  memory.  —  Capture 
of  the  city.  —  Declaration  of  peace 107-118 


CONTENTS.  5 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Promoted  again.  —  Favorably  mentioned  in  several  reports.  —  General 
Scott's  rattlesnake  story.  —  Grant  returns  to  the  United  States.  — 
Robbed  on  the  way.  —  Marries  Miss  Dent.  —  Ou  duty  at  Sackett's 
Harbor  and  Detroit. — The  first  baby.  —  "The  Cicotte  mare."  — 
Quarrel  with  Zachary  Chandler.  —  Dog-fight  on  Grosse  Isle.  —  A  Son 
of  Temperance  and  an  Odd  Fellow.  —  Second  son  born.  —  Mrs.  Grant 
returns  to  St.  Louis 119-134 

CHAPTER  X. 

Off  for  California.  —  On  the  Isthmus.  —  Difficulties  and  hardships  of  the 
journey.  —  Failure  of  the  contractor  to  keep  his  agreement.  —  Over- 
land in  the  mud.  —  How  Grant  acquitted  himself.  —  Arrival  at  Panama. 

—  Embarking  on  the  Golden  Gate.  —  Outbreak  of  cholera.  —  Arrival 
at  San  Francisco.  —  Expense  of  living  in  California.  — Grant  in  Ore- 
gon. —  His  experience  at  farming.  —  Another  promotion.  —  At  Hum- 
boldt Bay.  —  Resigned  and  goes  home.  —  Settles  down  to  farming.  — 
In  the  real-estate  business.  —  Moves  to  Galena,  111.     .        .        135-151 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Galena  and  its  history.  —  Lincoln's  election.  — Threatened  troubles  with 
the  South.  —  Excitement  in  North  and  South  after  Lincoln's  election. 

—  The  inauguration.  —  Conduct  of  Buchanan's  administration.  —  Call 
for  troops.  —  Response  of  Galena.  —  Speeches  of  E.  B.  Washburne  and 
John  A.  Rawlins 152-163 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Galena  raises  a  company.  —  Grant  drills  and  instructs  the  men  — Pre- 
sides at  a  meeting.  —  Writes  to  the  adjutant-general  at  Washington. 

—  Goes  to  Springfield.  — Enters  the  State  service.  — Military  adviser 
to  the  governor.  —  Colonel  of  Twenty-first  Illinois  Infantry.  —  Ordered 
to  North  Missouri.  —  Light  marching  order.  —  Guarding  railways  and 
bridges 164-178 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Grant  becomes  a  brigadier-general.  —  Ordered  to  Ironton,  Mo.  —  In 
command  at  Jefferson  City.  —  State  of  affairs  there.  —  The  border 
States.  —  Grant  goes  to  Cape  Girardeau.  — His  staff-officers.  —  Pursu- 
ing Jeff  Thompson.  —  Transferred  to  Cairo.  —  Captures  Paducah,  Ky. 

—  Battle  of  Belmont. — Driving  the  rebels  and  driven  by  them. — 
Grant's  narrow  escape.  —  Intelligence  of  a^horse.  —  Losses  at  Bel- 
mont            179-200 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Fremont  superseded  by  Halleck.  —  Characteristics  of  the  two  men. — 
Fremont's  march  to  the  South-west.  —  His  imaginary  foe.  —  Retreat 
to  Rolla.  —  Grant  at  Cairo.  —  His  annoyances.  —  Fugitive  slaves,-  and 
how  tliey  were  dealt  with.  —  Union  sentiment  in  the  border  States.  — 
Winter  of  1861-62.  —  Buell  at  Bowling  Green  and  Mill  Springs.  — 
Movements  against  Forts  Henry  and  Douelson.  —  Capture  of  Fort 
Henry,  and  investment  of  Donelson.  — A  woman's  tongue,  and  what 
came  of  it 201-217 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Rebels  make  a  sortie  from  Donelson.  —  Repulsed  at  a  decisive  mo- 
ment.,—  Grant's  discovery. — Three  days'  rations  in  haversacks,  m 
Grant's  movements  on  the  battlefield.  —  Terrible  weather  for  cam- 
paigning.—  John  B.  Floyd  and  his  escape.  —  General  Pillow. — 
Buckner's  flag  of  truce  and  his  proposal. — Grant's  reply.  —  The 
surrender.  —  Excitement  in  the  North,  and  gloom  at  the  South. — 
Losses  at  Donelson 218-232 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Movements  after  Donelson.  —  Evacuation  of  Columbus.  —  Capture  of 
Clarksville  and  Nashville.  —  Up  the  Tennessee  River.  —  Pittsburg 
Landing,  or  Shiloh.  —  Great  battle  there.  —  First  day's  fighting.  — 
Grant's  army  in  peril. — Reinforced  by  Buell.  —  Fighting  on  the 
second   day. — Rebels  driven  back.  —  Fugitives  from  the  battlefield. 

—  Grant  injured  by  a  fall.  —  Death  of  Albert  Sidney  Johnston. — 
Losses  at  Shiloh 233-248 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Grant's  narrow  escape  in  the  battle.  — Confederate  strength  at  Corinth. 

—  General  Halleck  assumes  command.  —  Siege  of  Corinth.  —  A  slow 
approach.  —  Fifteen  miles  in  six  weeks.  —  Grant  asks  to  be  relieved. 

—  His  request  denied.  —  Rebels  evacuate  Corinth.  —  Pope  and  Buell 
pursue  them.  —  Grant  in  command  of  the  department. — His  escape 
from  guerrillas.  —  Rebels  attack  Corinth       ....        239-264 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Vain  attempt  against  Vicksburg.  —  Grant's  long  line  of  communications. 

—  Dickey's  raid. — Rebels  capture  Holly  Springs.  —  Colonel  Bowers 
and  the  muster-roll.  — Grant  falls  back.  —  Movement  from  Memphis 
towards  Vicksburg.  —  Canal-digging.  —  A  misfortune.  —  Various  ex- 
peditions. —  Playing  a  joke  on  the  Rebels.  — Running  the  batteries.  — 
Landing  at  Grand  Gulf.  —  The  first  battle    ....        265-280 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Intercepted  dispatches. — The  march  continued.  —  Battle  of  Raymond. 

—  Capture  of  Jackson.  —  Destruction  of  rehel  factories  and  store- 
houses.—  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston.  —  Pemherton  comes  out  to 
meet  Grant. —  Battle  of  Champion  Hills,  and  defeat  of  rebels.  —  Pem- 
herton retires  to  Vicksburg.  —  Investment  of  the  place.  —  The  siege. 

—  Exploding  a  mine.  —  Famine  in  Vicksburg     .         .        .        281-29(3 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Result  of  the  mine.  —  The  Lord  and  Joe  Johnston.  — A  flag  of  truce.  — 
Terms  of  surrender.  —  Vicksburg  in  Union  hands.  — Rudeness  of  Gen- 
eral Pemherton.  —  Grant's  "Yankee  trick."  —  Surrender  of  Port 
Hudson.  —  Grant  ordered  to  Cairo.  —  Commanding  the  grand  military 
division  of  the  Mississippi.  — Grantat  Chattanooga.  — Astate  of  siege. 

—  Capture  of  Lookout  Valley.  —  Charge  of  the  mule  brigade,  297-317 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Bragg's  mistake.  —  Grant  meets  a  party  of  rebel  soldiers. —  Bragg's 
notice  to  noncombatants.  — Attack  upon  Mission  Ridge.  —  Capture  of 
Lookout  Mountain.  —  The  Battle  above  the  clouds.  —  Great  battle  of 
Chattanooga.  —  How  the  Ridge  was  taken .  —  Bragg's  retreat.  —  Effect 
of  the  victory  in  the  North.  —  Grant  named  for  the  presidency.  —  His 
ambition.  —  "  The  sidewalk.  "  —  Made  a  lieutenant-general.  — 
Ordered  to  Washington 318-335 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

On  duty  at  Washington.  —  His  staff.  —  General  plan  of  campaign. — 
State  of  affairs  at  the  time.  —  Army  of  the  Potomac.  —  Its  condition 
and  morals.  — Lee's  position.  —  Preparing  for  the  offensive.  —  Begin- 
ning the  movement.  —  Crossing  the  Rapidan.  —  Encountering  Lee's 
army.  —  Hard  fighting  in  The  Wilderness.  —  Six  days  of  battles.  —  A 
wily  foe.  —  "Shall  fight  it  out  on  this  line  if  it  takes  all  sum- 
mer"          336-352 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

End  of  The  Wilderness  battles.  —  A  few  days  of  rest.  —  Meade's  congratu- 
latory order.  —  Hancock  attacks,  and  is  repulsed.  —  Another  advance. 

—  Sheridan's  raid  and  its  results.  —  Grant's  army  on  the  Pamunkey. 

—  Attack  on  Petersburg.  —  Headquarters  at  City  Point.  —  Reinforce- 
ments. —  Grant  and  the  negro  sentinel.  — Mr.  Lincoln's  experience.  — 
Sheridan  again.  —  Battles  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  —  Grant's  cool- 
ness at  an  explosion 353-369 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Forming  negro  regiments.  —  Anger  of  the  Confederates.  —  How  they 
treated  some  negro  soldiers.  —  General  Butler's  retaliation.  —  General 
Lee's  letter  and  Grant's  answer.  —  Hood's  campaign  and  the  result.  — 
Grant  visits  New  York.  —  Sheridan's  raid.  —  Last  movement  on  Rich- 
mond. —  Battles  of  Dinwiddie,  Five  Forks,  and  Appomattox.  —  Evac- 
uation of  Richmond.  —  Lee's  army  in  a  trap         .        .        .        370-387 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Lee's  surrender.  —  How  it  was  Drought  ahout.  —  Terms  of  the  agreement. 

—  Johnston's  surrender.  —  President  Lincoln's  visit  to  Richmond. — 
Reception  by  the  negroes.  —  How  New  York  received  the  great  news. 

—  Lincoln's  return  to  Washington.  —  Grant's  return.  —  Assassination 
of  the  President.  —  How  Grant  escaped.  —  The  President's  dream.  — 
Anger  of  the  North.  — The  French  in  Mexico.  —  How  they  were  driven 
out 388-402 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Grant  makes  a  tour  through  the  Northern  States.  —  Revisits  Galena.— 
Citizens  give  him  a  house  — The  new  sidewalk.  —  Goes  to  Missouri 
and  Ohio.  —  Visits  the  South.  —  Secretary  of  "War  ad  interim.  —  Im- 
peachment of  Andrew  Johnson.  —  Nominated  for  the  presidency. — 
Elected. —  His  administration. —  Re-elected.  —  Retirement.  —  Journey 
around  the  world. — In  Cuba  and  Mexico.  —  Bankruptcy.  —  Writing 
his  memoirs.  —  Disease.  —  Death 403-420 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


General  Grant Frontispiece 

Lieutenant  Grant    riding    for    Ammuni- 
tion at  Monterey Facing  Page  55 

Battle  of  Buena  Vista "           "  97 

"Halt!    Who  comes  There?" "           "  125 

Battle  of  Shiloh "           "  167 

Siege  of  Vicksburg "          "  201 

General  Grant  at  His  Headquarters    .  "          "  249 

Battle  of  Fredericksburg "          "  287 

Surrender  of  Lee "          "  jB27 


BOYS'  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  GRANT. 


CHAPTER.   I. 

Ancestry. — Mathew  Grant. —  His  voyage  from  England  in  the  Mary 
and  John.  —  Settlement  at  Mattapan  near  Boston.  —  Moves  to  Wind- 
sor, Conn.  —  Troublous  times  in  the  Colonies.  —  How  people  went  to 
church.  —  Living  in  a  blockhouse. — Noah  Grant.  —  His  son  Noah 
Grant.  —  Jesse  R.Grant,  father  of  Ulysses.  —  Birth  of  our  hero. — 
What  he  says  of  his  parents. 

Ulysses  S.  Grant  was  an  American  of  the  eighth 
generation  from  Mathew  Grant  and  his  wife,  Pris- 
cilla,  who  came  from  Dorchester,  England,  in  May, 
1630,  and  settled  in  Massachusetts.  Nearly  all  of 
the  one  hundred  and  forty  passengers  on  the  ship 
Mary  and  John,  which  brought  Mathew  Grant  to 
America,  were  from  Devon,  Somerset,  and  Dorchester; 
and  they  came  with  the  intention  of  remaining  per- 
manently in  America. 

The  Mary  and  John  had  a  rough  voyage  of  ten 
weeks  across  the  Atlantic.  The  captain  had  agreed 
to  land  the  passengers  at  Boston ;  but  instead  of  that 
he  landed  them  nine  miles  from  that  city.  They 
brought  suit,  and  recovered  damages  for  the  violation 
of    his    agreement.      Then    they   crossed   the   bay   in 

9 


10  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

little  boats,  reached  Boston,  and  thence  went  to  a 
place  that  the  Indians  called  Mattapan,  four  miles 
from  Boston,  which  they  named  Dorchester  in  honor 
of  the  English  town  whence  they  came. 

Five  years  after  his  arrival  in  the  New  World, 
Mathew  Grant  moved  with  his  family  to  Windsor, 
Conn.,  and  remained  there  until  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  was  surveyor  for  the  Windsor  colony  for 
more  that  forty  years,  and  was  also  for  many  years 
the  town  clerk  of  Windsor.  His  eldest  son,  Samuel, 
settled  on  lands  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Connecticut 
River,  opposite  Windsor;  and  his  descendants  are  still 
to  be  found  there. 

The  founder  of  the  Grant  family  in  America  suf- 
fered many  hardships.  The  first  meal  of  the  Dor- 
chester settlers  was  of  fish  without  any  bread,  and 
they  had  many  a  similar  meal  afterwards.  Roger  Clap. 
the  historian  of  the  settlement,  says :  "  The  place 
was  a  wilderness.  Fish  was  a  good  help  to  me  and 
to  others.  Bread  was  so  scarce  that  I  thought  the 
very  crusts  from  my  father's  table  would  have  been 
sweet;  and  when  I  could  have  meal  and  salt  and 
water  boiled  together,  I  asked,  '  Who  would  ask  for 
better?'" 

The  reasons  for  the  movement  to  Connecticut  are 
not  clearly  known ;  but  certain  it  is  that  about  half 
the  Dorchester  settlers  joined   in  it.     One  old  writer 


HARDSHIPS  OF  COLONIAL  LIFE.         11 

says  it  was  caused  by  "  a  hankering  after  new  lands  " 
which  were  fertile  and  grassy,  while  the  region  around 
Dorchester  was  rocky  and  heavily  wooded;  besides, 
there  would  he  better  opportunities  for  trading  in  furs 
with  the  Indians.  The  journey  was  one  of  great  hard- 
ship, and  so  was  life  in  the  new  settlement.  So 
troublesome  were  the  Indians,  that  the  settlers  built 
a  stockade  of  trunks  of  trees  set  upright  in  the 
ground  and  close  together,  and  all  went  there  at 
night  for  safety.  For  many  years  they  were  in  con- 
stant danger  from  the  Indians  whether  at  home,  at 
church,  in  the  fields,  or  wherever  else  they  went. 
The.  Indians  always  came  without  warning;  and  their 
work   was  quick  and  murderous. 

In  those  troubled  times,  throughout  all  the  New 
England  colonies,  the  men  carried  their  guns  to  church 
with  them  as  a  matter  of  caution ;  and  they  took 
seats  at  the  doors  of  the  pews  so  as  to  be  ready  to 
rush  out  in  case  of  an  Indian  alarm.  To  this  day, 
in  the  New  England  States,  though  guns  are  no  lon- 
ger carried  to  the  house  of  divine  worship,  the  seat- 
ing follows  the  custom  of  old  Colonial  times,  —  women 
and  children  at  the  head  or  inner  end  of  the  pew, 
and  men  at  the  door. 

No  doubt  Mathew  Grant  had  his  share  of  Indian 
fighting,  and  bore  his  part  bravely.  Since  his  time 
the  Grant  family  has  been  a  warlike,  one  as  we  learn 


12  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

from  its  history.  General  Grant's  great  grandfather, 
Noah  Grant,  and  his  brother  Solomon,  of  the  fifth 
generation  from  Mathew  Grant,  held  commissions  in 
the  English  army  in  1756  in  the  old  French  and 
Indian  War.  They  went  in  an  expedition  to  Canada, 
and  both  were  killed  in  that  year.  Nineteen  years 
later,  General  Grant's  grandfather,  Noah  Grant,  went 
with  a  Connecticut  company  to  join  the  Continental 
army  in  Massachusetts  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Revo- 
lution, and  fought  at  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  He 
served  through  the  whole  of  the  Revolutionary  War; 
but  was  on  furlough  a  part  of  the  time,  as  he  was 
married  in  Connecticut  during  the  war,  and  was  a 
widower  with  two  children  at  its  close. 

After  the  war  was  ended,  and  the  independence  of 
the  United  States  acknowledged,  Captain  Noah  Grant 
moved  to  Pennsylvania,  and  afterwards  to  Liverpool, 
Ohio,  the  second  move  being  made  in  1799.  Before 
leaving  Pennsjdvania  he  married  a  second  time;  and 
his  eldest  son  by  his  second  marriage  was  Jesse  R. 
Grant,  the  father  of  the  hero  of  our  story. 

Comparatively  little  is  known  of  the  ancestors  of 
General  Grant  down  to  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century.  But  certain  it  is  that  none  of  them  were 
"  cradled  in  luxury,"  and  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  firmness  of  will  and  indomitable  perseverance 
for  which  General  Grant  was  noted  were  an   inheri- 


PITTSBURG   IN   1799  13 

tance  derived  from  the  environments  of  all  the  fam- 
ily, from  Mathew  to  Jesse.  We  have  learned  some- 
thing about  the  hardships  through  which  Mathew 
Grant  undoubtedly  passed,  and  the  conditions  of  life 
remained  very  much  the  same  for  a  century  or 
more  after  the  arrival  of  the  Mary  and  John.  About 
the  time  of  the  Revolution,  the  Connecticut  Valley 
became  prosperous ;  but  prosperity  could  only  be 
gained  through  industry  which,  though  general,  was 
by  no  means  universal.  There  was  a  disposition  among 
the  people  to  emigrate  to  the  West;  and,  as  already 
stated,  the  grandfather  of  General  Grant  joined  in 
the  migration. 

Compare  for  a  moment  the  condition  of  things  at 
that  time  and  at  the  present. 

Pittsburg  was  a  frontier  post  of  five  hundred  in- 
habitants, who  lived  in  log  houses,  and  were  pro- 
tected by  Fort  Pitt,  which  stood  at  the  junction  of 
the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela  Rivers,  where  they 
form  the  Ohio.  There  were  settlements  at  several 
points  throughout  Ohio,  but  none  of  great  conse- 
quence ;  and  practically  the  whole  region  was  a  wilder- 
ness. There  was  a  rough  road  over  the  mountains 
from  Pittsburg  to  Philadelphia,  but  no  turnpike ;  and 
the  majority  of  travelers  who  could  afford  any  kind 
of  conveyance  went  on  horseback,  the  journey  occupy- 
ing eight  or  ten   days.     At  present,  one  can   make   it 


14  boys'  life  of  general*  grant. 

in  as  many  hours  in  a  Pullman  car,  the  triumph  of 
luxurious  locomotion  on  wheels. 

Down  the  Ohio  River,  one  may  now  travel  by  a 
swift  steamboat,  or  he  may  skirt  its  banks  by  the 
swifter  railway.  In  1799  Noah  Grant  loaded  his  wife 
and  five  children  into  a  flat-boat,  along  with  a  horse, 
two  cows,  cooking,  table,  and  farming  utensils,  and 
all  the  rest  of  their  worldly  goods.  One  end  of  the 
boat  was  roofed  over;  and  under  this  rough  shelter, 
day  and  night,  the  boat  floated  with  the  current, 
Noah  and  his  wife  each  taking  turns  at  watching 
while  the  other  slept. 

Jesse  R.  Grant,  the  father  of  the  general,  was  five 
years  old  at  the  time  of  this  voyage.  All  through 
his  life  he  remembered  it  perfectly,  and  used  to  tell 
how  vast  the  river  appeared  to  his  young  eyes  which 
had  never  gazed  on  a  stream  of  the  size  of  the  Ohio. 
The  boat  landed  at  what  is  known  as  Liverpool, 
Ohio,  but  was  then  a  settlement  of  half  a  dozen  log 
cabins  at  the  edge  of  a  dense  forest.  Here  the 
family  remained  a  short  time,  and  then  moved  to 
Deerfield,  where,  in  1805,  Mrs.  Grant  died,  and  the 
family  was  broken  up.  Noah  Grant,  with  the  two 
younger  children,  went  to  live  with  his  eldest  son, 
while  the  others  (there  were  five  children  alto- 
gether) found  homes  in  the  neighborhood  of  Deer- 
field.      Jesse    was    taken    into    the    family   of    Judge 


JESSE   R.    GRANT.  15 

Tod,  whose  son  was  afterwards  the  renowned  war 
governor  of  Ohio.  Jesse  also  lived  for  a  short  time 
in  the  family  of  Mr.  Brown,  the  father  of  John  Brown 
of  Harper's  Ferry  fame,  "  Whose  soul  goes  marching 
on." 

As  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  learn  a  trade, 
Jesse  Grant  left  Deerfield  and  went  to  Maysville, 
Ky.,  where  he  became  apprenticed  to  a  tanner.  When 
he  had  learned  his  trade  and  was  ready  for  business, 
he  set  up  a  tannery  at  Ravenna,  Ohio,  and  a  few 
years  later  moved  to  Pleasant  Point,  where  he  went 
into  the  same  occupation.  It  was  at  Point  Pleas- 
ant, Clermont  County,  Ohio,  that  the  man,  destined 
to  conquer  the  greatest  rebellion  that  the  world  ever 
saw,  was  born  on  the  27th  of  April,  1822.  His  mother 
was  Hannah,  daughter  of  John  Simpson,  whom  Jesse 
Grant  had  married  in  June,  1821. 

Concerning  his  parents,  General  Grant  wrote  as 
follows  in  his  "  Memoirs  :  "  — 

"  During  the  minority  of  my  father,  the  West  afforded 
but  poor  facilities  for  the  most  opulent  of  the  youth  to 
acquire  an  education ;  and  the  majority  were  dependent, 
almost  exclusively,  upon  their  own  exertions  for  what- 
ever learning  they  obtained.  I  have  often  heard  him 
say  that  his  time  at  school  was  limited  to  six  months, 
when  he  was  very  young,  too  young,  indeed,  to  learn 
much,  or  to  appreciate  the  advantages  of  an  education ; 
and  to  a  '  quarter's  schooling '  afterwards,  probably  while 


16  BOYS1    LIFE   OF    GENERAL   GRANT. 

living  with  Judge  Tod.  But  his  thirst  for  education 
was  intense.  He  learned  rapidly,  and  was  a  constant 
reader  up  to  the  day  of  his  death  —  in  his  eightieth 
year.  Books  were  scarce  in  the  Western  Reserve  dur- 
ing his  youth,  but  he  read  every  book  he  could  bor- 
row in  the  neighborhood  where  he  lived.  This  scarcity 
gave  him  the  early  habit  of  studying  everything  he  read, 
so  that  when  he  got  through  with  a  book,  he  knew 
everything  in  it.  Even  after  reading  the  daily  papers 
—  which  he  never  neglected- — he  could  give  all  the  im- 
portant information  they  contained.  He  made  himself 
an  excellent  English  scholar ;  and  before  he  Avas  twenty 
years  of  age  he  was  a  constant  contributor  to  Western 
newspapers,  and  was  also,  from  that  time  until  he  was 
fifty  years  old,  an  able  debater  in  the  societies  for  this 
purpose,  which  were  common  in  the  West  at  that  time. 
He  always  took  an  active  part  in  politics,  but  was 
never  a  candidate  for  office,  except,  I  believe,  that  he 
Avas  the  first  mayor  of  Georgetown.  He  supported 
Jackson  for  the  presidency  ;  but  he  Avas  a  Whig,  a  great 
admirer  of  Henry  Clay,  and  never  voted  for  any  other 
Democrat  for  high  office  after  Jackson. 

"  My  mother's  family  lived  in  Montgomery  County, 
Pa.,  for  several  generations.  I  have  little  information 
about  her  ancestors.  Her  family  took  no  interest  in 
genealogy,  so  that  my  grandfather,  Avho  died  when  I  Avas 
sixteen  years  old,  kne.Av  only  back  to  his  grandfather. 

"  My  mother's  father,  John  Simpson,  moved  from 
Montgomery  County,  Pa.,  to  Clermont  County,  Ohio, 
about  the  year  1819,  taking  Avith  him  his  four  chil- 
dren,—  three  daughters  and  one  son.  My  mother, 
Hannah  Simpson,  was  the  third  of  these  children,  and 
Avas  then   over  twenty  years  of  age.      Her  eldest  sister 


BIRTH   OF   OTJR    HERO.  17 

was  at  that  time  married,  and  had  several  children. 
She  still  lives  in  Clermont  County  at  this  writing, 
October  5th,  1884,  and  is  over  ninety  years  of  age.  Her 
brother,  next  of  age,  and  now  past  eighty-eight,  is  also 
living  in  Clermont  County,  within  a  few  miles  of  the 
old  homestead,  and  is  as  active  in  mind  as  ever.  He 
was  a  supporter  of  the  Government  during  the  war, 
and  remains  a  firm  believer  that  national  success  by 
the  Democratic  party  means  irretrievable  ruin." 

At  the  time  of  General  Grant's  birth  there  was 
a  stream  of  emigration  from  the  East  to  Ohio  and 
other  Western  States.  It  came  principally  from  New 
England,  New  York,  and  Pensylvania,  there  being- 
vary  few  people  from  Virginia  and  the  other  South- 
ern States  who  settled  north  of  the  Ohio  River. 
Steamboating  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  was 
then  in  its  infancy,  the  first  steamboat  there  hav- 
ing been  launched  at  Pittsburg  in  1811.  Naviga- 
tion was  principally  by  flatboats  and  keelboats,  and 
a  great  force  of  men  was  required  for  handling 
them. 

The  boatmen  of  that  time  were  marked  charac- 
ters in  their  way.  They  were  a  powerful,  hardy  race, 
unerring  shots  with  the  rifle,  and  fond  of  fighting 
and  "  rough  frolics "  on  shore.  If  two  or  more 
crews  happened  to  meet  in  a  town  where  they  had 
landed  for  the  night,  there  was  pretty  sure  to  be 
a    fist  fight,   and  perhaps    two   or   three  of  them,   be- 


18  BOYS'    LTFE    OF   GENERAL   GRANT. 

fore  bedtime.  After  a  fight,  the  combatants  shook 
hands,  and  no  animosity  remained.  Wounds  and 
bruises  were  regarded  as  of  little  consequence ;  and 
the  boatmen  used  to  boast  that  they  had  "  mighty 
healing  flesh." 

It  was  an  imperative  rule  of  the  boatmen  that 
they  would  do  no  work  on  shore,  their  only  place 
of  industry  being  on  the  water.  Their  principal 
land  amusement  was  shooting  at  a  mark,  and  play- 
ing rough  practical "  jokes  on  each  other.  With  the 
rifle-ball  they  would  knock  a  pipe  from  a  fellow- 
boatman's  hat-band,  or  spill  the  contents  of  a  tin 
cup  as  it  was  being  raised  to  the  holder's  lips.  They 
would  cut  off  the  head  of  a  wild  turkey  in  flight, 
and  snuff  a  candle  at  fifty  paces  without  putting 
out  the  liorht.  Their  most  favorite  amusement  was 
"  driving  the  nail."  This  consisted  in  sinking  a  nail 
into  a  tree  two-thirds  of  its  length,  and  then,  at 
fifty  paces,  driving  it  home  with  a  rifle-ball. 

When  two  of  them  quarreled  and  made  up  their 
differences,  it  was  not  unusual  for  them  to  shoot 
small  objects  from  each  other's  heads  as  a  mark  of 
friendship.  A  famous  boatman,  Mike  Fink,  the  best 
shot  on  the  river,  lost  his  life  in  one  of  these  af- 
fairs. He  was  to  shoot  an  apple  from  the  head  of 
a  man  with  whom  he  had  quarreled  and  made  up. 
When  he  fired,   the  man   fell    to   the  ground,  where- 


KEEL-BOATMEN   ON   WESTERN   RIVERS.  19 

upon  his  brother  shot  Fink  through  the  heart.  In 
a  few  moments  the  supposed  dead  man  rose  to  his 
feet;  and  it  was  found  that  Fink's  bullet  had  passed 
between  the  man's  head  and  the  apple,  making  only 
a  slight  scalp  wound. 

Occasionally  the  boatmen  had  desperate  fights  with 
river  pirates  who  infested  certain  portions  of  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi  rivers.  In  these  encounters  there  was 
generally  bloodshed  and  loss  of  life,  especially  when 
the  pirates  were  victorious. 


20  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"Weight  of  the  baby.  —  Giving  him  a  name.  —  Hiram  Ulysses  Grant.  — 
Boyhood  of  Ulysses.  —  His  first  smell  of  powder.  —  Fondness  for  horses. 
—  His  skill  as  a  rider.  —  Hauling  wood  and  carrying  passengers. — 
Skating.  —  How  his  frozen  feet  were  cured.  —  Hauling  logs  for  the  new 
jail.  —  "What  "Dave  and  Me"  did.  —  Breaking  a  neighbor's  window 
by  accident. 

"  How  much  did  the  baby  weigh  ? "  one  of  our 
young  readers  asks. 

It  weighed  ten  and  three-quarter  pounds,  so  the 
tradition  is  in  the  family ;  and  it  was  pronounced 
a  strong  and  healthy  infant.  Its  name  was  a  matter 
of  great  consequence,  that  could  only  be  decided 
at  a  family  council;  and  this  was  not  held  until  the 
child  was  six  weeks  old.  On  the  day  appointed 
for  the  meeting,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grant  entered  the 
family  wagon  and  drove  to  the  house  of  the  Simp- 
sons, the  parents  of  Mrs.  Grant,  ten  miles  away. 
Of  course  the  baby  accompanied  them ;  and  this  was 
probably  his  first  journey  away  from  home,  and  his 
first  opportunity  to  see  the  world.  He  did  not  keep 
a  memorandum  of  what  he  saw  on  or  by  the  way; 
and  history  does  not  tell  us  of  his  comments  con- 
cerning  the    ride,    or   how  he    "  liked    the    country." 


NAMING  THE  BABY.  21 

It  is  possible  that  he  remarked  on  returning  home 
that  he  didn't  know  the  world  was  so  large. 

The  council  consisted  of  the  boy's  parents,  his 
grandparents  on  the  mother's  side,  and  two  maternal 
aunts ;  and  there  was  a  long  discussion  of  the  sub- 
ject before  them,  which  became  heated  towards  the 
end.  Finally  it  was  determined  to  vote  by  ballot; 
and  thereupon  each  one  wrote  on  a  slip  of  paper 
the  name  which  he  or  she  preferred.  The  slips  were 
then  dropped  into  a  hat,  and  one  of  the  aunts  was 
delegated  to  draw  from  the  hat  a  single  slip  and 
read  forth  the  name  thereon  inscribed. 

The  scrap  of  paper  bore  the  name  of  "  Ulysses ; " 
and  when  all  the  slips  were  examined  it  was  found 
that  the  vote  stood  as  follows  :  — 

Ulysses 2 

Albert  2 

Theodore 1 

Hiram 1 

Hiram  was  voted  by  John  Simpson,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Grant,  and  out  of  deference  to  him  it  was 
subsequently  prefixed  to  Ulysses ;  so  that  the  boy 
was  baptized  Hiram  Ulysses  Grant.  Albert  was  in 
honor  of  Albert  Gallatin,  who  was  then  minister  for 
the  United  States  at  Paris,  and  was  highly  popular 
for  his  many  public  services,  which  covered  alto- 
gether a  period  of  fully  fifty  years. 


22  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Theodore  was  voted  by  one  of  the  maiden  aunts 
who  thought  it  a  pretty  name ;  and  Ulysses  was  the 
choice  of  the  boy's  father  and  grandmother.  The 
reader  may  wonder  how  such  a  classic  name  should 
have  found  its  way  into  Ohio  at  that  time,  when 
schools,  even  of  the  common  sort,  were  rare,  and 
colleges  practically  unknown  in  that  region.  Well, 
here  is  the  story  that  they  tell  about  it :  — 

A  co])y  of  Fenelon's  "  Telemachus"  had  been  brought 
into  the  settlement,  and  Jesse  Grant  borrowed  and 
read  the  book  shortly  after  his  marriage.  Then  he 
sought  and  obtained  permission  to  lend  it  to  his 
mother-in-law,  and  she  had  just  completed  its  perusal 
at  the  time  of  the  family  council.  Both  of  them 
had  been  forcibly  impressed  with  the  character  of 
Ulysses,  the  father  of  the  hero  of  the  story,  who  is 
depicted  as  "gentle  of  speech,  beneficent  of  mind," 
"the  most  patient  of  men,"  "equally  unmoved 
against  danger  and  reproach,"  and  "  the  wise  Ulysses." 
One  apostrophe  to  Telemachus  is  as  follows :  — 

"  Your  father  Ulysses  is  the  wisest  of  mankind ;  his 
mind  is  an  unfathomable  depth;  his  secret  lies  beyond 
the  line  of  subtlety  and  fraud ;  he  is  the  friend  of  truth ; 
he  says  nothing  that  is  false,  but  when  it  is  necessary 
he  conceals  what  is  true  ;  his  wisdom  is,  as  it  were,  a 
seal  upon  his  lips,  which  is  never  broken  but  for  an 
important  purpose." 


grant's  babyhood.  23 

The  selection  of  this  name  would  seem  to  have 
been  prophetic  in  view  of  the  history  of  the  man  who 
bore  it !  How  marked  was  the  resemblance  between 
the  characters  of  the  Ulysses  of  ancient  times  and  of 
him  of  the  nineteenth  century !  Each  possessed  in- 
domitable bravery,  wisdom,  and  reticence ;  each  passed 
through  many  perils  ;  and  each  was  noted  for  persis- 
tence in  overcoming  obstacles  which  stood  in  his  way. 

Jesse  Grant  moved  to  Georgetown,  in  Brown 
County,  when  his  first-born  son  was  about  two 
months  old.  Georgetown  is  about  sixty  miles  above 
Cincinnati,  and  stands  ten  miles  back  from  the 
Ohio  River.  The  region  around  it  is  well  adapted  to 
the  culture  of  the  grape  ;  and  Brown  County  is  one 
of  the  best  wine-producing  counties  of  Ohio.  The 
county  is  strongly  Democratic ;  and  the  tradition  is 
that  some  of  its  inhabitants  vote  for  Andrew  Jackson 
at  every  presidential  election,  unmindful  of  the  fact 
that  the  hero  of  New  Orleans  has  been  dead  for  half 
a  century. 

Jesse  Grant  carried  to  Georgetown  a  capital  of 
eleven  hundred  dollars,  which  he  had  made  and 
saved  in  less  than  two  years.  He  started  a  tannery 
in  his  new  place  of  residence,  and  was  so  successful 
with  it  that  he  built  a  small  house  of  brick,  and 
supported  his  family  without  touching  his  savings  at 
all.     In  addition  to  his  tannery  he  had  a  farm  which 


24  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

he  tilled,  and  about  fifty  acres  of  forest  that  supplied 
the  family  with  wood.  Part  of  the  time  was  devoted 
to  the  tannery,  and  part  to  farming.  Jesse  was  pros- 
perous as  prosperity  was  measured  in  that  time  and 
place ;  and  it  was  all  the  result  of  steady  industry. 
The  man  was  a  hard  worker;  and  when  his  son  was 
old  enough  to  be  useful  he  had  his  share  of  work  to 
do. 

Ulysses  Grant  passed  his  life  in  Georgetown  until 
he  went,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  to  the  Military 
Academy  at  West  Point  on  the  Hudson.  There  was 
nothing  very  eventful  in  his  boyhood,  although  there 
are  several  occurrences  worth  noting  in  view  of  what 
happened  later  on.  Before  he  was  two  years  old,  a 
young  man,  living  in  the  neighborhood,  wished  to  see 
what  the  boy  would  do  at  the  report  of  a  pistol  close 
to  him  ;  he  had  already  been  tried  with  one  a  little 
distance  away,  and  was  not  at  all  alarmed  at  the 
noise. 

On  this  occasion  the  pistol  was  loaded  and  cocked, 
and  then,  while  his  father  was  holding  him  in  his 
arms,  the  boy's  finger  was  pressed  against  the  trigger 
by  his  young  friend  until  the  weapon  was  discharged 
with  a  loud  report. 

"  He  did  not  even  dodge  or  wink,"  said  his  father ; 
"  but  reached  out  for  the  pistol  and  asked  for  it  to 
be  loaded  aerain." 


GRANT   IN    HIS   BOYHOOD.  25 

A  year  or  two  later,  when  he  was  quite  ill,  the 
family  doctor  was  called  in  to  consider  his  case.  He 
pronounced  the  child  in  a  state  of  fever,  and  pre- 
scribed some  powders ;  whereupon  the  little  fellow 
began  to  cry,  and  said  between  the  sobs:  "Don't 
give  me  any  powders ;  they  will  blow  me  up ! " 

The  matter  was  explained  to  him ;  and  on  being 
assured  that  he  was  in  no  danger  of  an  internal 
explosion,  he  consented  to  take  the  medicine  the 
doctor  prescribed. 

His  father  says  that  one  of  the  earliest  character- 
istics he  displayed  was  a  fondness  for  horses.  A 
circus  visited  Georgetown  about  the  time  Ulysses 
was  twenty  months  old,  and  he  was  taken  to  see  it. 
He  enjoyed  the  performance  very  much,  and  laughed 
heartily  at  the  feats  of  the  riders  and  the  tricks  of 
the  clown.  Towards  the  end  of  the  show,  a  trick 
pony  was  brought  in,  and  the  ring-master  asked  for 
somebody  to  ride  it.  Ulysses  begged  to  be  permitted 
to  do  so;  and  when  his  father  tried  to  dissuade  him, 
the  tears  stood  in  the  boy's  eyes,  and  he  continued 
his  pleadings.  So  he  was  placed  on  the  pony's  back, 
while  the  animal  was  led  slowly  around  the  ring,  to 
the  great  delight  of  his  rider,  and  the  admiration  of 
the  spectators  who  applauded  loudly. 

When  he  was  five  years  old  he  could  handle  the 
reins   very    well,  and  was    often   sent   with  the  horse 


26  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

and  wagon  for  short  drives.  When  Ulysses  was  seven 
and  a  half  years  old  his  father  was  away  from  home 
one  day ;  when  he  came  home  at  night  he  found  a 
large  pile  of  brushwood  in  the  yard  in  front  of  the 
house.  His  first  question  was  as  to  who  brought  it 
there. 

"I  did  it,  father,"  said  the  boy.  "I  harnessed  up 
Jack,  and  put  him  in  the  sled;  and  I've  been  hauling 
brush  from  the  lot  all  day." 

The  wood-lot  from  which  the  young  teamster  had 
brought  the  brush  was  about  a  mile  from  the  village  ; 
and  he  loaded  and  unloaded  the  sled  without  as- 
sistance. 

When  he  was  eight  years  old,  the  boy  took  care 
of  a  pair  of  horses  and  hauled  wood  every  day,  though 
he  could  not  put  on  the  collars  and  bridles  of  the 
animals  without  standing  on  a  box  or  inverted  tub  so 
that  he  could  reach  their  heads.  His  father  says  that 
Ulysses  was  always  very  kind  to  the  horses,  and  that 
they  reciprocated  his  kindness  as  horses  are  wont  to 
do.  "  He  could  do  anything  with  them  he  wanted 
to,"  said  Mr.  Grant ;  "  and  they  appeared  to  be  as  fond 
of  him  as  he  was  of  them." 

He  hauled  wood  not  only  for  his  father,  but  for  the 
neighbors,  and  earned  some  money  by  so  doing.  He 
could  not  handle  the  heavy  sticks  to  load  or  unload 
the  wagon  or  sled  ;  this  work  was  done  by  some  one 


grant's  fondness  for  horses.  27 

else  at  either  end  of  the  line,  while  the  labor  of 
Ulysses  was  confined  to  driving.  He  also  earned 
money  by  driving  to  their  homes  people  who  came 
to  Georgetown  by  stage.  By  the  time  he  was  nine 
years  old  he  had  saved  seventeen  dollars,  with  which 
he  bought  a  colt;  and  from  that  time  he  was  never 
without  a  horse  that  was  his  own  property.  He  traded 
horses  quite  often,  and  generally,  though  not  always, 
to  advantage.  He  displayed  considerable  business 
ability  in  his  transactions,  though  he  never  went  as 
far  as  the  typical  operator  in  equine  flesh  who  "  would 
cheat  his  father  in  a  horse-trade." 

Ulysses  had  a  brother  named  Simpson,  three  years 
younger  than  himself ;  and  the  two  boys  were  brought 
up  together.  They  went  to  school  whenever  there  was 
any  school  in  the  town,  which  was  not  the  case  at  all 
times.  There  were  no  free  schools  in  that  part  of 
Ohio  at  the  time  of  which  we  write.  Every  school 
was  supported  by  subscription,  and  the  teachers  were 
often  only  a  little  less  ignorant  than  their  pupils. 
Reading  and  writing,  together  with  arithmetic  as  far 
as  the  "rule  of  three,"  were  the  principal  branches 
taught,  with  sometimes  grammar  and  geography.  A 
school  contained  from  twenty  to  forty  or  fifty  scholars. 
The  pupils  varied  in  age  from  two  years  to  twenty, 
and  occasionally  there  was  some  that  exceeded  the 
latter    figure.      Books    and    birch    twigs,    with   rulers 


28  BOYS     LIFE    OF    GENERAL    GRANT. 

for  the  older  pupils,  shared  the  honors  as  aids  to 
learning,  their  relative  uses  varying  with  the  tempera- 
ments of  the  teachers  and  the  docility  or  reverse  of 
it  of  those  who  came  to  be  taught.  It  was  the  custom 
of  the  time  to  use  the  rod  freely.  If  the  sparing  of 
it  spoiled  the  child,  as  Solomon  asserts,  there  were 
few  ruined  children  in  Ohio  in  the  first  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century. 

General  Grant  says  in  his  memoirs  that  his  school- 
master in  Georgetown  always  had  a  long  switch  in 
his  hand ;  and  it  was  not  the  same  one  either,  as  fre- 
quently a  whole  bunch  of  switches  were-  used  in  one 
day.  At  home  Ulysses  was  never  subjected  to  punish- 
ment ;  but  at  school  he  obtained  his  full  share,  perhaps 
because  he  was  not  of  a  studious  habit.  He  went 
to  school  in  Georgetown  from  the  time  he  was  five 
years  old  until  he  went  to  West  Point,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  winters  which  he  spent  in  Ripley, 
Ohio,  and  Maysville,  Ky.,  attending  private  schools. 
Jesse  Grant  was  well  aware  of  his  own  deficiencies 
of  education,  and  was  anxious  to  give  his  boys  as 
much  schooling  as  he  possibly  could. 

But  his  attendance  at  school  did  not  exempt  young 
Ulysses  from  labor.  Before  and  after  school  hours 
there  was  usually  something  for  him  to  do  about  the 
house  or  farm  or  in  the  tannery.  The  latter  work 
he    detested;   but   he   was  always    willing   to  go   into 


WINTER   AMUSEMENTS.  29 

the  fields,  and  especially  so  if  the  employment  there 
had  any  connection  with  horses.  When  he  was  eleven 
years  old  he  was  able  to  hold  a  plow ;  and  from  that 
time  on  until  he  went  to  West  Point  he  did  pretty 
nearly  all  the  farm-work  in  which  horses  were  en- 
gaged. He  plowed  the  land,  furrowed  the  growing 
potatoes  and  corn,  hauled  the  wood  and  the  gathered 
crops,  cared  for  the  horses  and  cows,  and  did  other 
things,  which  were,  as  auctioneers  say  in  their  ad- 
vertisements, "too  numerous  to  mention." 

Amusements  were  not  abundant.  There  were  fish- 
ing and  hunting  to  be  enjoyed  occasionally,  as  the 
country  was  sparsely  settled ;  but  game  animals  were 
chiefly  limited  to  squirrels,  raccoons,  rabbits,  and 
similar  "  small  deer."  And  as  for  the  fish,  they  were 
not  of  a  kind  and  size  to  develop  the  habit  of  false- 
hood which  afflicts  so  many  fishermen  in  Eastern 
waters.  In  winter  the  boys  of  Georgetown  visited 
each  other's  houses  in  the  evening,  playing  morris, 
checkers,  fox  and  geese,  and  other  games,  eating  hick- 
ory nuts ;  telling  stories,  and  repeating  riddles,  till 
nine  o'clock  came,  and  it  was  time  for  the  visitors 
to  go  home.  In  summer  the  boys  went  frequently 
to  swim  in  the  creek  which  ran  near  the  village ; 
and  they  used  to  have  lots  of  fun  in  a  place  similar 
Lo  that  which  James  Whitcomb  Riley,  sweetest  of 
Western  poets,  has  immortalized  as  "  The  Ole  Swim- 
min'  Hole." 


30  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Skating  was  an  amusement  of  the  Georgetown  boys ; 
and  it  is  related  that  on  one  occasion  Ulysses  had 
his  feet  frozen  in  consequence  of  having  his  straps 
too  tight.  His  mother,  who  is  said  to  have  had  a 
remedy  for  every  ill  that  juvenile  flesh  is  heir  to, 
smoked  the  boy's  feet  over  burning  hay,  and  then  poul- 
ticed them  with  bacon  cut  into  thin  slices.  Whether 
the  remedy  belongs  to  the  regular  medical  practice 
or  not,  we  cannot  say  ;  but  the  frozen  feet  were  cured. 

Occasionally  when  snow  was  on  the  ground,  and 
of-  the  right  consistency,  the  boys  used  to  get  up 
snow-balling  matches.  They  would  designate  two 
leaders,  and  then  "  choose  sides,"  the  numbers  being 
equally  divided,  or  very  nearly  so.  It  is  related  that 
whenever  Ulysses  was  one  of  the  leaders,  his  side 
generally  won  the  match,  owing  to  the  skill  with 
which  he  handled  his  followers.  He  took  advantage 
of  weak  points  in  his  adversary's  line,  and  in  various 
ways  gave  promise  of  the  superior  ability  as  a  tacti- 
tian  that  he  afterwards  displayed. 

The  parents  and  neighbors  of  Ulysses  say  that  one 
of  his  boyhood  characteristics  was  truthfulness.  He 
never  told  a  deliberate  lie  or  even  a  "  white "  one, 
though  he  was  by  no  means  a  goody-goody  boy  such 
as  we  read  of  in  story-books.  If  he  heard  or  knew 
of  pranks  on  the  part  of  his  schoolmates  or  playfellows, 
he  didn't  run  at  once  to  inform  upon  them  ;  but  when 


THE    BROKEN    WINDOW-PANE.  31 

called  up  and  required  to  tell  the  truth,  he  did  it, 
even  though  it  might  bear  upon  himself. 

One  day  while  he  and  some  other  boys  were  play- 
ing ball,  Ulysses  knocked  the  ball  through  a  pane 
of  glass  in  a  house  near  b}*.  He  immediately  dropped 
his  bat  and  went  straight  into  the  house,  where  he 
said, — 

"Mrs.  Bailey,  I've  just  broken  your  window,  and 
am  very  sorry.  I'll  go  right  down  to  the  store  and 
buy  a  pane  of  glass,  and  come  straight  back  and  put 
it  in." 

"Oh,  never  mind  the  window,"  was  the  reply; 
"you've  paid  for  it  already  by  coming  so  promptly 
to  tell  about  it." 

"But  I  do  mind,"  said  the  boy;  and  off  he  went 
to  the  store  to  get  the  glass,  which  he  soon  had  in 
the  place  where  it  belonged. 

Ulysses  was  not  quarrelsome  like  many  boys,  but 
when  he  was  drawn  into  a  physical  discussion  he 
showed  that  he  was  no  coward.  A  schoolmate  says 
he  once  saw  Ulysses  in  a  fight  with  another  boy 
named  Mount,  who  was  larger  and  stronger  than 
our  hero.  Mount  was  getting  the  better  of  his  ad- 
versary, when  the  latter  suddenly  gave  him  a  tre- 
mendous kick  in  the  thigh.  Thereupon  Mount  gave 
a  loud  yell  and  started  for  his  house,  which  was 
close   by,    while    Ulysses    hurried  to    bis    own    home, 


32  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

fearful  of  a  "  whaling "  at  the  hands  of  Mount's 
father. 

Mention  has  been  made  of  the  dislike  of  Ulysses 
for  the  work  of  the  tannery.  The  bark  for  tanning 
purposes  comes  to  the  mill  in  strips,  three  or  four 
feet  long,  and  of  varying  width.  It  is  dry  and  brittle 
when  ready  to  be  ground.  The  bark-mill  resembles 
a  cider-mill  in  general  appearance.  It  has  an  up- 
right hopper,  and  the  grinding  apparatus  is  moved  by 
a  horse  walking  around  in  a  circle  and  propelling 
a  pole.  The  boy  who  tends  the  mill  stands  by  the 
side  of  the  hopper,  and  with  a  hammer  breaks  the 
bark  into  pieces  four  or  five  inches  square,  and  drops 
them  inside.  Every  time  the  pole  comes  around  he 
must  "  duck "  his  head  to  prevent  it  from   being  hit. 

Grinding  bark  was  the  employment  which  Ulysses 
disliked  more  than  any  other,  with  the  exception  of 
"beaming"  hides.  When  any  grinding  was  to  be  done, 
he  used  to  hire  another  boy  to  take  his  place,  paying 
him  twenty-five  cents  for  his  day's  work.  Then  he 
would  go  away  and  earn  a  dollar,  and  perhaps  more, 
with  his  horses,  carrying  passengers  to  their  homes, 
or  hauling  loads  that  needed  to  be  moved.  In  this 
way  he  not  only  secured  relief  from  disagreeable  work, 
but  made  money  out  of  the  transaction. 

Jesse  Grant  took  the  contract  for  building  a  jail 
at  Georgetown ;  and  this  necessitated  a  great  deal  of 


WHAT   "DAVE  AND  ME"   DID.  33 

hauling  of  materials,  chiefly  of  logs  which  were  ob- 
tained in  Mr.  Grant's  wood-lot.  He  owned  one  large 
horse  which  just  matched  one  belonging  to  a  neighbor. 
While  the  question  of  collecting  material  for  the  jail 
was  under  discussion,  Ulysses,  then  twelve  years  of 
age,  said,  — 

"  Father,  if  you'll  buy  Paul  Devore's  horse  so  as  to 
work  with  ours,  I'll  undertake  to  haul  the  logs  for 
you." 

Mr.  Grant  bought  the  horse  as  the  boy  suggested. 
Ulysses  named  his  new  animal  "  Dave,"  and  found 
him  quite  willing  and  docile.  He  was  very  proud  of 
his  pair  of  black  steeds,  and  with  them  he  did  all 
the  hauling  required  for  the  work.  The  logs  were 
fourteen  feet  long  and  twelve  inches  square.  They 
were  cut  and  hewed  in  the  forest ;  and  when  Ulysses 
went  there  with  his  team,  the  men  helped  him  to 
load,  while  those  at  the  jail  helped  in  the  unloading. 
The  logs  were  large  and  heavy,  as  the  reader  will 
understand  from  their  dimensions,  and  required  sev- 
eral men  to  handle  them.  One  morning  rain  was 
threatening ;  and  when  Ulysses  came  from  the  forest 
with  his  first  load  he  remarked  to  his  father  that  it 
was  hardly  worth  while  to  go  again  that  day  as  none 
of  the  hewers  or  choppers  were  there,  and  there  was 
only  one  load  left,  and  if  that  were  taken  away, 
there  would  be  nothing  for  the  next  morning. 


34  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"Were  none  of  the  men  there?" 

"No,  not  one." 

"  Who  loaded  these  logs  ?  " 

"Dave  and  me   did  it.   father." 

"  Why,    that's  impossible,"  said  Mr.  Grant. 

"Not  a  bit,  father.  Dave  and  me  did  it  without 
anybody's  help." 

"How  in  the  world  did  you  manage  to  get  the 
logs  on  the  axles  ?  " 

"There's  a  maple-tree  there  that's  fallen  part  way 
over,  with  its  top  lodged  against  another  tree.  I 
hitched  Dave  to  the  logs  one  by  one,  and  dragged 
them  up  to  this  tree  ;  and  then  I  backed  up  the  wagon, 
and  snaked  'em  ahead  on  the  axles.  Dave  seemed  to 
know  just  what  I  wanted,  and  we  didn't  have  a  bit 
of  trouble." 

The  performance  became  known  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  made  Ulysses  quite  famous.  When  Gen- 
eral Grant  received  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  one 
of  his  boyhood  acquaintances   said,  — 

"That's  the  chap  that  loaded  a  wagon  with  heavy 
logs  when  he  was  twelve  years  old.  I  reckon  he  sat 
down  and  planned  how  to  take  Vicksburg  just  as  he 
planned  how  he  and  Dave  were  going  to  make  up 
that  load   without   any   help." 

Evidently  the  jail  which  Jesse  Grant  constructed 
was  not  like  the   one  in  another  Western  town  where 


DAVE'S    INTELLIGENCE.  35 

a  prisoner  who  was  confined  there  wrote  to  the  sher- 
iff that  lie  wouldn't  stay  any  longer  unless  they 
repaired  the  jail  sufficiently  to  keep  the  cows  from 
straying   in   there  and   disturbing  him. 

Young  Grant  said  that  Dave  could  do  almost  any- 
thing but  talk,  and  he  was  sure  that  the  animal 
understood  what  was  said  in  his  presence.  One  day 
when  Ulysses  was  engaged  in  hauling  logs  from  "the 
upper  lot "  as  it  was  called,  Jesse  Grant  said  to 
Ullysses,  — 

"  Go  to  the  south  lot  this  time  for  your  load." 

"All  right,  father,"  was  the  reply. 

When  the  team  reached  the  road  to  the  south  lot, 
Dave  turned  into  it  Avithout  any  direction  from  his 
driver's  voice  or  reins. 


86  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER   III. 

The  young  horsebreaker.  —  Riding  circus  ponies.  —  Young  Grant's  famous 
horse-trade.  —  Selling  a  refractory  horse.  —  Trips  to  Cincinnati.  —  Sent 
to  West  Point.  —  How  the  appointment  came  about.  —  Mistake  in  his 
name.  —  Grant's  sensitiveness  on  the  subject.  —  Preparing  for  exami- 
nation. —  His  outfit.  —  Journey  to  West  Point.  —  Canal,  stage,  railway, 
and  steamboat.  —  West  Point  and  its  history.  —  Grant's  proficiency. 
—  Excels  in  horsemanship. 

Very  early  in  life  young  Grant  became  famous 
as  the  best  horseman  in  all  the  country,  which  was  no 
small  repute  in  a  region  where  nearly  every  man 
was  familiar  with  the  saddle  and  its  uses.  Before 
he  was  ten  years  old,  owners  of  horses  afflicted  with 
a  distemper  that  was  cured  only  by  vigorous  exercise 
used  to  bring  their  animals  to  Ulysses  to  get  him 
to  ride  them  "  into  a  lathering  sweat."  He  was  also 
in  demand  for  breaking  colts  ;  and  it  was  no  uncom- 
mon sight  to  see  the  tanner's  boy  on  a  pitching,  rear- 
ing, bucking  beast,  tearing  around  the  square  or 
along  the  streets  that  led  into  the  country.  Usually 
he  went  out  at  a  furious  pace,  but  returned  at  a  walk. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem  at  first,  while  he  was  ready 
and  willing  to  earn  money  by  teaming  or  driving 
passengers,  he  disliked  to  do  so  by  breaking  colts  or 
vicious  horses.     The  profession  of   a  horse-jockey  was 


TRAINING    A  COLT.  37 

not  in  good  repute  there,  and  he  had  no  desire  to  be 
known  as  a  trainer.  He  declined  to  take  money  for 
breaking  colts  for  the  neighbors,  and  refused  to  handle 
those  that  were  brought  to  him  from  a  distance. 

Once  a  neighbor  came  with  a  colt,  and  offered  Ulysses 
two  dollars  to  ride  the  animal  and  carry  a  letter  to 
a  town  thirteen  miles  away.  Just  as  Ulysses  mounted 
the  steed,  the  man  said,  as  if  the  thought  had  just 
struck  him,  — 

"I  wish  you'd  see  if  that  colt  can  pace." 

When  Ulysses  returned  from  his  twenty-six  mile 
ride,  the  colt  was  a  good  pacer.  Afterwards  the  boy 
was  very  angry  when  he  found  that  the  carrying  of 
the  letter  was  what  in  these  days  would  be  called 
a  "fake,"  the  real  object  being  to  have  the  colt  trained 
to  pace. 

Whenever  a  show  came  along  with  a  trick  pony 
which  was  difficult  to  ride,  Lyss,  as  he  was  usually 
called,  was  always  ready  to  try  to  ride  him.  Gener- 
ally he  succeeded,  but  sometimes  the  pony's  tum- 
bling and  rolling  on  the  ground  were  too  much  for 
him.  When  he  was  twelve  years  old,  he  rode  a  pony 
quite  around  the  ring,  but  was  more  than  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  in  doing  so.  The  pony  jumped,  bucked, 
reared,  lay  down,  and  rolled  over,  but  all  to  no  pur- 
pose. The  boy  clung  to  him  with  the  persistence 
of  a  bulldog,  and  clearly  earned  the  five  dollars  which 


38  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the   ring-master  had   promised  but  managed   to   evade 
paying  by  a  frivolous  excuse. 

He  used  to  ride  standing  on  the  saddle,  or  more 
frequently  on  a  sheepskin  strapped  on  the  horse's 
back  to  keep  the  rider's  bare  feet  from  slipping.  Thus 
equipped,  Ulysses  would  go  at  full  gallop  along  the 
road,  standing  on  one  foot,  as  he  had  seen  riders  at 
the  circus,  and  holding  the  bridle  in  his  left  hand 
and  a  switch  in  his  right.  Generally  the  horses  seemed 
to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  sport,  and  needed  little 
if  any  urging. 

One  day  before  Ulysses  was  ten  years  old,  his 
father  sent  him  to  buy  a  horse  belonging  to  a  farmer 
who  lived  several  miles  away.  "Offer  him  thirty 
dollars  for  the  horse,"  said  Mr.  Grant;  "but  if  he 
won't  take  it,  you  can  offer  thirty-five ;  and  rather 
than  come  away  without  the  animal,  offer  him  forty. 
If  he  won't  take  that,  you  may  leave  the  horse,  as 
that's  all  he's  worth." 

Impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  trust  reposed 
in  him,  the  boy  started  on  his  mission.  When  he 
reached  the  house,  and  said  that  he  wanted  to  buy 
the  horse  Mr.  Grant  had  been  looking  at,  the  farmer 
suddenly  asked,  — 

"How  much  did  your  father  say  you  might  pay 
for  the   horse?" 

Thrown  off  his  guard  by  the  abruptness  of  the 
inquiry,  the  boy  answered, — 


grant's  horse-trade.  39 

"  Father  said  I  might  pay  forty  dollars  rather  than 
not  get  him,  but  was  to  begin  by  offering  thirty ;  and 
if  you  refused  it,   I  was  to  offer  thirty-five." 

Of  course  the  farmer  was  ready  to  declare,  and  did 
so,  that  he  couldn't  take  less  than  forty  dollars,  and 
the  bargain  was  concluded  at  that  figure.  The  story 
got  out,  and  caused  Ulysses  a  good  deal  of  annoyance 
as  long  as  he  remained  in  Georgetown ;  and  not  only 
then,  as  it  followed  him  to  West  Point,  and  after- 
wards into  the  army. 

Mr.  Grant  had  so  much  confidence  in  Ulysses  that 
after  the  latter  was  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old, 
he  allowed  him  to  trade  horses  pretty  much  as  he 
pleased.  When  the  jail  which  has  been  mentioned 
was  completed,  Jesse  sold  his  wagon  to  a  farmer  who 
lived  twenty  miles  away.  Ulysses  was  sent  to  de- 
liver the  Avagon ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  took  a 
horse  that  his  purchaser  had  left,  and  one  of  his  own 
that  he  had  recently  purchased  and  had  never  been 
harnessed,  though  he  had  been  used  under  the  saddle. 

For  about  ten  miles  Ulysses  got  along  very  well. 
Then  the  new  horse  became  frightened  at  something, 
and  kicked  out  of  the  traces;  and  very  soon  he  had 
freed  himself  from  the  harness,  all  but  the  bridle 
which  held  him  to  the  other  horse.  Ulysses  jumped 
off  the  wagon  and  seized  the  frightened  animal,  hold- 
ing  him  till  he  was  quiet;   then  he  replaced  the  har- 


40  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

ness  and  tried  to  go  on,  but  the  beast  began  to  kick 
again  and  behave  as  badly  as  ever  before. 

"  He  will  never  do  to  go  in  harness,"  said  the  boy, 
"and  I  guess  I'll  sell  him  as  soon  as  I  can.  He's 
a  good  saddler,  and  I  won't  be  long  in  finding  a 
market." 

He  was  close  to  a  town  at  the  time ;  and  so  he. 
saddled  the  horse  and  galloped  away,  leaving  the 
quiet  beast  tied  to  a  tree  at  the  roadside.  When  he 
reached  the  town,  he  inquired  for  a  horse-dealer;  and 
having  found  one,  he  speedily  sold  the  horse  for 
sixty-five  dollars.  The  dealer  hesitated  about  mak- 
ing a  purchase  of  so  young  a  bo}*,  whereupon  Ulysses 
brought  forward  a  gentleman  whom  he  knew  to  as- 
sure the  dealer  that  a  bargain  with  the  boy  was  the 
same  as  one  with  his  father. 

After  completing  his  horse-trade,  Ulysses  borrowed 
a  quiet  steed  with  which  he  returned  to  where  he 
had  left  his  wagon  and  the  other  horse.  Then  he 
finished  his  journey  ;  and  on  the  return  trip  restored 
the  borrowed  animal  to  its  owner,  and  made  the  rest 
of  the  journey  in  the  stage-coach. 

Ulysses  made  frequent  trips  to  Cincinnati  and 
other  places  by  reason  of  engagements  for  hauling 
loads  for  merchants  and  others;  and  he  kept  a  sharp 
watch  for  jobs  by  which  he  might  earn  money  by 
the   use   of  his   horses.     By  the    time   he   was   sixteen 


SENT   TO    WEST   POINT.  41 

years  of  age,  he  had  traversed  most  of  the  country 
within  fifty  miles  of  Georgetown  so  often  that  he 
was  pretty  familiar  with  it;  and  once  he  went  on  a 
journey  to  Louisville,  which  was  a  great  undertak- 
ing at  that  time  for  a  boy  of  his  age.  He  longed  to 
see  more  of  the  world,  and  was  planning  to  earn  and 
save  money  enough  to  enable  him  to  do  so. 

The  opportunity  came  in  an  unexpected  manner, 
and  at  a  time  when  he  was  not  thinking  of  it. 

He  was  attending  school  at  Ripley,  ten  miles  from 
Georgetown,  during  the  winter  of  1838-1839.  Dur- 
ing Christmas  holidays  the  school  was  closed,  and 
young  Grant  followed  the  example  of  the  other 
pupils  and  went  home.  One  day  his  father  received 
a  letter;  and  on  reading  it,  he  remarked, — 

"  Ulysses,  I  think  you  are  going  to  receive  the  ap- 
pointment." 

"What  .appointment?  "  the  boy  asked. 

"The  appointment  to  West  Point,1'  the  father  an- 
swered.     "  I  have  applied  for  it." 

Ulysses  declared  that  he  didn't  want  it,  and 
wouldn't  go ;  but  his  father  cut  the  matter  short  by 
saying,  "  You'll  go,  I  think,  if  I  want  you  to." 

The  boy  concluded,  so  he  has  said  since  then,  that 
he  thought  so,  too,  if  his  father  did.  The  reason  he 
did  not  want  to  go  was  that  he  feared  he  would  fail 
in  the  preliminary  examination ;  and  he  would  rather 


42  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

stay  at  home  all  his  life  than  do  that.  He  had  no 
real  objection  to  going,  but  was  fearful  of  the  ordeal. 

The  way  the  appointment  came  about  was  this  :  — 

A  boy  had  been  appointed  from  Georgetown,  but 
had  failed  in  the  examination.  He  resigned,  and 
went  to  a  private  school  for  a  year,  when  he  was 
appointed,  and  failed  again.  A  vacancy  in  that  dis- 
trict was  thus  created,  but  the  fact  was  not  gener- 
ally known.  The  boy's  mother  was  intimately 
acquainted  with  Mrs.  Grant,  and  told  the  circum- 
stance to  her.  She  mentioned  it  to  her  husband,  and 
hinted  that  there  was  an  opening  for  Ulysses.  Jesse 
Grant  caught  at  the  hint,  and  immediately  wrote  to 
the  Honorable  Thomas  L.  Hamer,  the  member  of 
Congress  who  had  the  right  of  nomination,  request- 
ing the  appointment  of  his  son. 

There  was  no  other  applicant  for  the  place,  and  so 
Ulysses  received  the  nomination.  Mr.  Hamer  made 
a  mistake  in  the  name  of  the  appointee.  Instead  of 
Hiram  Ulysses,  he  wrote  it  Ulysses  Simpson,  under 
the  impression  that  the  boy's  middle  name  was  the 
maiden  name  of  his  mother,  or  perhaps  confounding 
his  name  with  that  of  Jesse's  next  son,  Simpson.  At 
all  events  the  appointment  came  for  Ulysses  Simpson 
Grant,  and  no  effort  on  the  part  of  the  individuals 
concerned  could  ever  change  it. 

When  he  found  that  the  mistake  could  not  be  rec 


BLUNDER   IN   GRANT'S   NAME.  43 

tified,  the  youth  accepted  the  situation,  and  entered 
West  Point  as  Ulysses  Simpson  Grant.  The  blun- 
der of  Mr.  Hamer  was  an  annoyance  to  General 
Grant  throughout  his  whole  life.  While  he  was  a 
student  he  was  ridiculed  frequently  by  his  compan- 
ions for  being  somebody  else  than  himself,  or  for 
having  entered  the  academy  under  another's  name 
because  he  couldn't  get  in  on  his  own.  Other  jokes 
of  the  same  sort  were  frequent;  but  though  they  were 
made  in  a  friendly  spirit,  they  could  hardly  be  other- 
wise than  annoying.  The  same  and  other  jokes  fol- 
lowed him  after  his  graduation  and  his  admission  to 
the  army,  and  he  was  rarely  out  of  their  echo. 

During  the  Civil  War  the  story  of  his  change  of 
name  was  told  again  and  again  in  the  newspapers, 
and  the  same  was  the  case  while  he  occupied  the 
presidential  chair.  For  years  a  prominent  newspaper 
that  was  hostile  to  the  president  and  his  policy  in- 
variably spoke  of  him  as  Hiram  U.  Grant,  and  its 
example  was  occasionally  followed  by  others.  When- 
ever an  opposition  editor  wished  to  be  excessively 
funny,  lie  revived  this  hoary  joke,  and  wrought  him- 
self into  a  fit  of  uncontrollable  laughter  over  it. 

Naturally  the  appointment  of  the  tanner's  son  to 
a  cadetship  at  West  Point  caused  a  great  deal  of 
comment  in  Georgetown.  Ulysses  had  not  been  re- 
garded as   a   bright  boy,  excepting,  of  course,  by  his 


44  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

parents ;  and  grave  doubts  were  expressed  of  the 
possibility  of  converting  such  an  uncouth  lad  as  he 
was  into  a  polished  soldier.  A  lawyer  of  George- 
town, who  was  not  over  friendly  with  the  boy,  said 
to  Jesse  Grant  that  he  wondered  Congressman  Hamer 
hadn't  given  the  appointment  to  some  one  who  would 
do  credit  to  the    district. 

This  remark  was  not  calculated  to  fall  pleasantly 
on  Jesse's  ears,  and  for  a  long  time  he  felt  very 
sore  about  it.  But  years  afterwards  when  his  son 
had  become  the  most  famous  general  in  the  Civil 
War,  and  was  voted  into  the  presidental  chair,  the 
old  gentleman  took  great  pleasure  in  repeating  it. 

Until  the  time  that  Ulysses  departed  for  his  new 
station  in  life  the  appointment  was  the  chief  topic 
of  conversation  in  the  village,  and  a  great  source 
of  comfort  and  pride  to  the  parents  of  the  boy. 
But  there  was  a  practical  side  to  the  matter  which 
could  not  be  overlooked,  and  that  was  the  prepara- 
tion for  the  examination,  and  the  raising  of  the 
money  needed  for  the  cadet. 

Ulysses  put  himself  into  the  hands  of  a  profes- 
sional teacher  named  Baldwin  Summers,  who  had  an 
excellent  reputation,  especially  for  mathematics  and 
penmanship.  He  studied  hard  for  five  months  or  so, 
and  gave  up  his  association  with  horses  and  other 
quadrupeds.     At   the    time   of  his  departure,  in  May, 


JOURNEY    TO    WEST    POINT.  45 

1839,  he  had  advanced  considerably  in  book  knowl- 
edge ;  and  his  teacher  said  he  was  sure  to  pass  the 
examination,  provided  he  did  not  lose  his  presence 
of  mind  when  he  came  before  the   examining  board. 

Meantime  the  youth's  mother  had  prepared  his 
outfit  of  shirts,  socks,  and  underwear  generally,  and 
he  had  spent  twenty -five  dollars  for  a  suit  of  clothes. 
He  had  saved  about  one  hundred  dollars ;  and  by 
selling  a  young  horse  for  which  he  had  no  further 
use,  he  raised  sixty  more.  The  rules  of  the  Mili- 
tary Academy  required  every  cadet  to  deposit  sixty 
dollars  to  pay  his  expenses  home  in  case  he  failed 
to  pass  examination,  or  should  so  conduct  himself 
as  to  be  expelled. 

The  sale  of  the  horse  supplied  the  deposit  money, 
and  left .  seventy-five  dollars  for  the  boy's  traveling 
expenses  to  West  Point.  He  went  up  the  Ohio  by 
steamboat  to  Pittsburg,  which  was  reached  in  three 
days,  and  thence  went  by  canal  to  Harrisburg.  The 
stage  would  have  been  more  expeditious  than  the 
canal-boat,  but  it  was  more  expensive ;  and,  further- 
more, the  water-route  gave  a  better  view  of  the  scenery 
of  Western  Pennsylvania  than  the  land  one. 

The  canal-route  was  not  altogether  a  water-way, 
as  the  boats  crossed  the  mountains  by  rail,  being 
hauled  up  an  inclined  plane  on  one  side  and  lowered 
down    a   plane   on    the   other.     The   first   railway  with 


46  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

cars  and  locomotives  to  greet  the  eyes  of  our  hero 
was  between  Harrisburg  and  Philadelphia ;  and  they 
made,  he  thought,  an  average  speed  of  twelve  miles 
an  hour.  At  full  speed  the  train  went  at  the  enor- 
mous rate  of  eighteen  miles  an  hour,  and  seemed  to 
be  annihilating  time  and  space. 

Ulysses  took  his  journey  leisurely,  stopping  sev- 
eral days  in  Philadelphia  to  visit  his  mother's  rel- 
atives and  see  the  city,  which  was  a  great  curiosity 
to  him.  He  was  so  long  in  the  Quaker  City  that 
he  had  less  time  and  money  for  New  York ;  and  when 
he  reached  West  Point  on  the  30th  or  31st  of 
May,  his  traveling  purse  was  nearly  empty.  He  was 
considerably  surprised  at  the  ease  with  which  he 
passed  the  trials  of  examination,  and  at  once  wrote 
home  to  tell  his  parents  that  it  wasn't  such  a  diffi- 
cult thing  after  all  to  get  into  West  Point. 

West  Point  is  about  fifty  miles  from  New  York 
City  and  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Hudson.  It  is 
partly  an  elevated  plain,  and  partly  mountainous 
land ;  and  the  idea  of  establishing  a  military  academy 
there  was  suggested,  so  history  says,  by  Colonel 
Pickering,  quartermaster-general  of  the  army,  shortly 
after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  West 
Point  played  an  important  part  in  the  Revolution. 
It  was  fortified  quite  early  in  the  war,  was  held 
alternately   by  the  British  and  the   Continentals,  and. 


HOW    APPOINTMENTS   ARE   MADE.  47 

was  the  scene  of  Benedict  Arnold's  treason  and 
flight. 

The  authorized  number  of  cadets  at  the  Military 
Academy  is  fixed  by  the  law  which  allows  each  con- 
gressional district,  each  Territory,  and  the  District  of 
Columbia,  to  have  one  cadet  at  the  Academy;  and 
there  are  also  ten  cadets  appointed  yearly  by  the  Presi- 
dent. Those  from  the  districts  and  Territories  are 
appointed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  on  recommenda- 
tion of  members  from  the  districts  or  the  Territorial 
delegates. 

When  there  are  several  applicants  for  a  single  ap- 
pointment, the  place  generally  goes  by  favor  of  the 
member  of  Congress  having  the  nomination.  Some- 
times, in  order  to  avoid  the  hatred  of  the  disappointed 
ones  and  their  friends,  the  Congressman  opens  the 
appointment  to  competition  among  the  pupils  in  the 
schools,  and  publicly  announces  the  fact  in  his  dis- 
trict. This  plan  has  proved  an  excellent  one,  and 
will  probably  increase  in  popularity  as  the  years  go  on. 

To  be  admitted  to  the  Academy,  an  applicant  must 
be  from  seventeen  to  twenty  years  of  age,  without 
disease  or  deformity,  and  must  pass  an  examination 
in  reading,  writing,  including  spelling,  grammar,  arith- 
metic and  geography,  particularly  of  his  own  country, 
and  must  have  a  good  knowledge  of  the  history  of 
the  United  States.     The  course  of  instruction  occupies 


48  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

four  years,  and  the  cadet  receives  an  allowance  of 
five  hundred  dollars  a  year  to  pay  for  his  board,  cloth- 
ing, books,  stationery,  and  other  items  of  expense ; 
and  he  also  receives  the  allowance  of  one  army 
ration. 

There  is  a  large  staff  of  teachers  and  professors  at 
West  Point,  most  of  them  being  officers  who  have 
graduated  from  the  Academy.  The  course  of  study 
includes  mathematics,  history,  geography,  geology, 
chemistry,  mineralogy,  French,  drawing,  engineering, 
and  military  science  in  general.  The  examinations 
are  rigid  and  thoroughly  impartial ;  and  the  cadet  who 
fails  to  make  a  certain  average  at  these  examinations 
is  dismissed.  There  is  a  daily  record  of  the  recitations 
of  each  student,  and  at  the  end  of  the  week  this  record 
is  posted  up.  The  cadet's  position  in  his  class  is 
determined  by  this  record. 

Cadet  Grant's  record  was  never  a  high  one.  He 
was  never  at  the  head  of  his  class,  and  sometimes  got 
disagreeably  near  the  foot.  He  admits  that  he  was 
not  a  close  student,  and  spent  a  considerable  part  of 
his  time  in  reading  books  that  had  no  bearing  upon 
education.  The  military  life  had  no  charm  for  him; 
and  he  had  no  intention  of  remaining  in  the  army 
after  graduation,  in  case  he  had  the  good  fortune  to 
graduate.  His  idea  was  that  he  would  obtain  a  posi- 
tion as  teacher  either  at  West  Point  or  elsewhere, 
and  thus  turn  his  education  to  advantage. 


"  HAZING  "    AT    WEST   POINT.  49 

The  barbarous  practice  of  "-hazing"  was  then  in 
force,  and  Cadet  Grant  had  his  share  of  it.  While 
he  was  a  "plebe,"  or  first  year  student,  several  of  the 
juniors,  the  class  next  above  him,  came  to  his  room 
one  night  to  smoke  him  out.  They  helped  themselves 
to  his  tobacco  which  lay  in  a  box  on  the  table,  and 
after  filling  their  pipes  began  to  smoke  very  vigor- 
ously. Pretty  soon  one  of  them  felt  unwell,  then 
another,  and  then  another.  In  less  than  half  an  hour 
all  had  retired,  and  young  Grant  remained  master  of 
the  field.  The  vanquished  smokers  accused  him  of 
"  doctoring  "  his  tobacco  in  anticipation  of  their  visit, 
but  to  this  charge  he  always  replied  that  the  proof  to 
that  effect  had  not  been  presented. 

The  students  go  into  camp  during  part  of  the  sum- 
mer, and  the  life  of  the  camp  gives  an  opportunity  for 
the  juniors  to  play  jokes  upon  the  plebes.  During 
Grant's  second  year  a  plebe  asked  him  on  the  first 
morning  after  going  into  camp,  where  he  should  go  to 
get  his  shoes  blacked. 

"  Over  at  that  tent,"  said  Grant,  pointing  to  the  tent 
of  the  colonel  who  commanded  the  camp.  "  There's  a 
man  there  who  has  charge  of  the  whole  business,  and 
lie '11  tell  you  where  to  go." 

The  plebe  went  as  directed,  but  soon  found  his  mis- 
take. The  colonel  answered  him  very  gruffly,  and  then 
asked  who  sent  him  there. 


50  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"  One  of  the  men  in  the  junior  class,"  was  the  reply ; 
"but  I  don't  know  his  name." 

"  Go  back  and  tell  him  I  want  to  see  him,"  said  the 
colonel.  The  plebe  delivered  the  message;  but  Cadet 
Grant  did  not  see  fit  to  comply  with  the  colonel's 
invitation,  and  there  the  matter  ended. 

Hazing  is  practically  abolished  at  the  present  time 
at  West  Point  and  in  most  of  the  colleges.  In  the  old 
days  at  West  Point  it  frequently  happened  that  stu- 
dents were  severely  injured  and  their  health  was  im- 
paired. On  one  occasion,  while  a  plebe  was  on  sentry 
duty,  a  junior  endeavored  to  "  have  some  fun  "  with 
him,  and  received  a  bayonet  thrust  in  his  thigh.  For 
some  time  his  life  was  in  danger,  but  he  ultimately 
recovered ;  though  he  was  permanently  disabled,  and 
obliged  to  give  up  his  studies  at  the  Academy. 

But  if  Grant's  standing  was  low  in  scholarship,  it 
was  offset  to  some  extent  by  his  horsemanship.  The 
training  of  the  cadets  in  that  branch  is  severe  as  it 
is  in  everything  else.  They  are  put  through  a  course 
of  hard  riding,  and  a  goodly  proportion  of  it  is  done 
without  saddles.  On  bare-backed  horses  they  must 
jump  hurdles  and  bars  and  perform  various  evolu- 
tions, and  the  officers  stand  by  to  see  that  there  is  no 
shirking. 

The  tanner's  son  won  the  admiration  of  everybody 
by  his  ability  to  stick  on  a  bare-backed  horse  through 


GRANT'S   HORSEMANSHIP,  51 

all  the  exercises,  including  leaps  of  five  feet  and  more. 
He  was  by  all  odds  the  best  rider  of  his  class,  and 
one  of  the  very  best  riders  ever  seen  at  West  Point. 
His  early  fondness  for  horses  and  acquaintance  with 
them  stood  him  in  good  stead. 

At  that  time  there  was  in  the  stable  at  West  Point 
a  huge,  long-legged,  sorrel  horse  called  "York."  He 
was  a  hard  beast  to  handle ;  and  only  two  members 
of  the  class,  Grant  and  Coutts,  could  ride  him  at  all. 
Coutts  frankly  acknowledged  that  Grant  was  a  far 
better  rider  than  himself ;  and  as  for  the  others,  they 
were  quite  out  of  the  question. 

York  was  a  splendid  jumper,  and  it  was  Grant's  de- 
light to  "put  him  through  his  paces."  When  the 
five-foot  bar  was  put  in  place,  and  Grant  was  mounted 
on  his  back,  York  would  approach  the  bar  at  a  gallop, 
crouch  low  like  a  cat  about  to  pounce  on  a  mouse, 
and  then  go  over  the  bar  with  a  sudden  spring.  His 
fore-feet  were  thrown  high  in  the  air,  his  hind-feet 
gathered  beneath  him,  and  he  came  down  to  the  ground 
with  wonderful  lightness. 

One  day  —  it  was  at  the  final  examination  before  the 
board  of  visitors  —  York,  with  Grant  on  his  back,  made 
a  jump  of  six  feet  and  three  inches.  It  was  the  best 
leap  ever  made  at  West  Point,  and  is  marked  there 
yet  as  "  Grant's  upon  York." 


52  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Grant  thrashes  an  impertinent  student.  —  A  salutary  lesson.  —  "  Uncle 
Sam."  —  Popular  with  his  fellows.  —  An  arbiter  of  disputes.  —  First 
visit  home.  —  A  happy  reunion.  —  Graduates  from  the  Military  Acad- 
emy.—  His  standing  in  his  class.  —  Home  again.  —  Appointed  into 
the  Fourth  Infantry. — His  first  uniform.  —  Joins  his  regiment  at  St. 
Louis.  —  Meets  his  future  wife.  —  Courtship  under  difficulties.  — 
Troubles  between  Texas  and  Mexico.  —  Fourth  Infantry  ordered  to 
the  frontier 

Coming  as  they  do  from  all  parts  of  the  country, 
and  from  all  social  ranks,  the  students  are  a  mixed 
lot  when  they  enter  the  Academy  at  West  Point. 
No  distinctions  are  made  between  them  by  their 
instructors ;  the  son  of  a  millionaire  or  of  an  army 
officer  is  treated  exactly  like  the  son  of  a  tanner 
or  a  carpenter,  and  must  perform  his  duties  in  the 
same  way. 

When  the  students  form  in  squads  to  go  to  roll- 
call,  they  take  their  places  in  the  order  in  which  they 
reported  for  duty  at  the  beginning  of  the  term. 
Next  to  Grant  and  below  him  was  a  youth  whom 
we  will  call  Robinson,  who  was  the  son  of  an  army 
officer,  and  the  pet  of  his  parents  and  all  the  officers 
at  the  post  where  his  father  was  stationed.  He 
was  a  tall,  handsome  fellow,  and  looked  sneeringly 
upon   his    neighbor,    the   tanner's   boy  from  the  back- 


THRASHING  A  FELLOW-STUDENT.  53 

woods  of  Ohio,  a  short,  chubby  youth,  with  manners 
somewhat  uncouth,  though  never  rude. 

One  day  Robinson  crowded  Grant  out  of  his  place 
when  they  assembled  at  roll-call.  Grant,  thinking  it 
might  have  been  an  accident,  said  nothing  at  the 
time ;  but  after  the  class  was  dismissed,  he  told 
Robinson  not  to  crowd  him  out  again. 

The  very  next  roll-call,  Robinson,  with  a  wink  at 
some  of  his  comrades,  repeated  the  offense.  Grant 
instantly  knocked  him  down,  jumped  on  him,  and 
in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  the  story,  gave  him 
a  sound  thrashing.  The  surprise  of  Robinson  was 
about  equal  to  the  delight  of  the  rest  of  the  class,  as 
the  haughty  fellow  was  not  at  all  popular.  He  took 
the  lesson  to  heart,  as  many  a  boy  has  taken  similar 
treatment,  as  he  never  afterwards  tried  to  crowd 
Grant  out  of  his  place  or  otherwise  offend  him. 

Those  who  did  not  know  young  Grant  at  all  well 
considered  him  cold  and  distant ;  and  one  of  his 
fellow-students  afterwards  said  of  him  "  He  would 
drip  icicles  in  a  Turkish  bath."  This  is  the  equiva- 
lent of  a  remark  concerning  a  certain  prominent 
man  of  the  present  day,  that  he  would  be  good  to 
put  around  butter  in  summer-time.  Two  lines  in 
Shakespeare's  play,  King  Henry  VIII.,  are  not  an 
inapt  description,  of  Grant's  character :  — 

"  Lofty  and  sour  to  them  that  loved  him  not  ; 
But  to  those  men  that  sought  him  sweet  as  summer." 


54  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Partly  from  the  seriousness  of  his  manner,  and 
partly  because  of  his  initials,  Grant  was  nicknamed 
"Uncle  Sam"  by  his  classmates;  and  the  name  ad- 
hered to  him  all  through  his  services  in  the  regular 
army.  As  in  nearly  all  schools  and  colleges,  the 
students  were  nicknamed  either  by  the  alteration  or 
abbreviation  of  their  own  names,  or  on  account  of 
some  personal  attributes.  Thus  there  were  among 
Grant's  classmates  Steele,  who  was  called  "Doctor" 
because  he  had  studied  medicine ;  and  Reynolds,  called 
"Dad"  on  account  of  his  premature  gray  hair.  Ham- 
ilton was  "  Ham,"  Franklin,  "  Frank,"  and  Deshon, 
"  Dragon." 

"Uncle  Sam"  grew  in  popularity  as  time  went  on, 
owing  chiefly  to  his  amiability  and  quietness  of  man- 
ner. He  was  not  noted  for  brillianc}- ;  in  fact,  he 
had  a  reputation  for  indolence  which  he  said  was 
justly  deserved.  He  did  not  have  a  large  circle  of 
acquaintances  ;  but  he  had  several  close  friends,  and 
most  of  them  remained  so  during  his  and  their  lives. 
Among  those  who  knew  him  he  was  greatly  admired 
for  the  clearness  and  fairness  of  his  judgment ;  and 
whenever  a  dispute  arose  among  them,  and  no  agree- 
ment seemed  likely  to  be  reached,  it  was  generally 
decided  to  leave  it  to  "Uncle  Sam." 

The  cadets  have  a  furlough  of  sixty  days  for 
visiting   their  friends  at   the  end   of  the  second  year ; 


VISITING    HOME.  55 

and  this  is  the  only  one  allowed  during  their  entire 
term  except  in  the  case  of  serious  illness.  Grant 
improved  his  furlough  by  going  home  as  quickly  as 
possible.  He  found  relatives  and  friends  very  glad 
to  see  him,  and  all  complimented  him  on  his  im- 
proved appearance.  He  was  somewhat  round-shouldered 
when  he  left  Georgetown ;  but  he  now  carried  him- 
self with  dignity,  holding  his  head  well  erect.  His 
mother  exclaimed  after  her  first  welcome  was 
over,  — 

"Why,  how  straight  you  have  grown!" 

"  Yes,' '  was  the  reply  ;  "  they  taught  me  that  the 
very  first  thing." 

He  found  a  horse  and  saddle  waiting  for  him,  his 
thoughtful  father  having  provided  them  for  the  boy's 
use  during  his  furlough.  The  time  passed  very 
quickly,  much  more  so  than  at  the  Academy,  where 
Grant  said  a  week  was  as  long  as  ten  Ohio  weeks. 
He  visited  his  old  schoolmaster  and  friends,  and  all 
his  relatives  that  were  within  reach ;  and  when  the 
end  of  his  furlough  came  he  was  at  his  old  quarters 
in  West  Point. 

The  remainder  of  his  term  passed  somewhat  more 
rapidly  than  did  the  first  half  of  it,  or,  rather,  it 
dragged  less  slowly.  At  the  final  examination  and 
graduation,  June  30,  1843,  Grant  stood  twenty-first 
on   a  list  of  thirty-nine.       These    were  all    that    were 


56  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

left  out  of  a  hundred,  or  more  that  entered  the  Acad- 
emy with  him.  The  rest  had  been  weeded  out  in 
one  way  or  another;  a  few  by  illness,  but  the  great 
majority  by  incompetence,  idleness,  or  bad  conduct. 

At  that  time  the  army  of  the  United  States  con- 
tained fewer  than  ten  thousand  men  ;  and  the  Acad- 
emy at  West  Point  graduated  officers  faster  than 
there  was  need  for  them.  It  was  the  practice  to 
commission  the  graduates  as  brevet  second  lieuten- 
ants, and  give  them  choice  of  appointments  into  in- 
fantry, cavalry,  or  artillery  whenever  vacancies  oc- 
curred. 

Grant  put  down  as  his  first  choice  the  cavalry,  or 
dragQons  as  they  were  then  called,  and  for  second 
choice  the  Fourth  Infantry.  There  was  only  one 
regiment  of  dragoons  at  that  time,  and  it  had  its 
complement  of  officers  and  also  four  brevet  second 
lieutenants.  The  Fourth  Infantry  was  not  so  well 
provided  with  officers  ;  and,  furthermore,  there  were 
other  infantry  regiments  in  case  the  fourth  was  unat- 
tainable. 

After  graduation  Grant  received  leave  of  absence 
for  ninety  days.  He  waited  somewhat  impatiently 
for  his  assignment  to  duty,  as  he  could  not  order  his 
uniform  until  he  knew  whether  he  was  to  be  in  the 
dragoons  or  the  infantry,  the  uniforms  of  the  two 
arms   of   the    service   differing   greatly.       At   last  the 


APPOINTED    TO    THE   FOURTH    INFANTRY.  57 

decision  for  his  assignment  was  made ;  and  he  received 
orders  to  report  for  duty  with  the  Fourth  Infantry, 
then  stationed  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  St.  Louis. 
Then  he  hurried  up  the  making  of  his  uniform  suit, 
in  which  he  was  anxious  to  appear  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. 

When  his  new  garments  came  home,  he  donned 
them  at  once  and  went  out  for  a  horseback  ride. 
Some  of  the  small  girls  and  boys  jeered  him,  and  so 
did  a  few  of  the  loafers  and  idlers  who  congregated 
about  the  public  square.  Grant  was  sensitive ;  and 
these  experiences  gave  him  a  distaste  for  uniforms 
and  military  trappings  in  general,  from  which  he 
never  entirely  recovered. 

Lieutenant  Grant,  as  we  must  now  call  him  for  a 
while,  reported  for  duty  on  the  30th  of  September, 
1843,  and  began  his  first  practical  experience  of  army 
life.  There  is  not  much  to  do  around  a  military  post 
in  time  of  peace.  An  officer  must  attend  every  drill 
and  roll-call,  and  go  through  a  certain  amount  of  rou- 
tine; but  beyond  that,  his  time  is  his  own,  and  he 
can  do  pretty  much  as  he  pleases.  Of  course  a  great 
deal  depends  on  the  commandant  of  the  post,  whose 
power  is  practically  autocratic. 

Lieutenant  Grant  was  introduced  into  the  society 
of  St.  Louis,  and  found  it  very  agreeable.  Four  or 
five  miles   west    of  the  city  was   the  home  of  one  of 


58  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

his  classmates,  F.  T.  Dent,  the  son  of  Colonel  Fred- 
erick Dent  who  had  settled  there  when  a  young  man, 
in  the  year  1815.  He  bought  some  twelve  hundred 
acres  of  land,  and  named  the  place  Whitehaven  in 
honor  of  his  old  home  in  Maryland.  There  was  noth- 
ing more  natural  than  for  Grant  to  visit  his  old  class- 
mate, and  he  went  to  Whitehaven  within  a  day  or 
two  after  his  arrival  at  Jefferson  Barracks.  He  had 
brought  from  Ohio  his  horse  and  saddle,  and  was 
therefore   equipped  for  excursions  into  the  country. 

It  soon  became  noticeable  that  Lieutenant  Grant 
went  very  often  to  Whitehaven,  oftener,  perhaps, 
than  was  to  be  expected  in  visiting  a  classmate.  The 
fact  was,  young  Dent  had  some  sisters;  and  the  eldest 
of  them  was  Miss  Julia  Dent,  a  bright,  comely  girl 
of  seventeen,  or  four  years  the  junior  of  the  young 
army  officer.  The  two  were  congenial  to  each  other, 
and  took  walks  and  rides  together,  and  made  calls 
upon  the  neighbors  in  company  of  one  of  the  young 
woman's  brothers  or  sisters. 

In  May,  1844,  Lieutenant  Grant  received  permis- 
sion to  visit  his  friends  in  Ohio  on  a  furlough  of 
twenty  days.  A  few  hours  after  he  started,  an  order 
came  from  headquarters  at  Washington  for  the  Fourth 
Infantry  to  go  to  Louisiana,  but  the  lieutt  nant  was 
quite  ignorant  of  the  movement.  He  had  been  at 
home    two   days    when    he   received   a   letter    from    a 


SWIMMING    A   RIVER.  59 

comrade  telling  what  had  happened,  so  that  he  was 
not  at  all  surprised  on  returning  to  St.  Louis  to  find 
his  regiment  gone. 

On  his  arrival  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  he  reported 
to  Lieutenant  Ewell  (afterwards  major-general  in 
the  Confederate  army),  and  at  the  same  time  handed 
him  his  leave  of  absence.  He  obtained  a  few  days' 
additional  leave  before  going  to  join  his  command, 
and  immediately  went  to  Whitehaven  to  see  his  old 
classmate. 

Shakespeare  says,  in  "  A  Midsummer-Night's  Dream," 
that  the  course  of  true  love  never  did  run  smooth. 
On  his  way  to  Whitehaven,  the  young  officer  was 
obliged  to  cross  the  Gravois,  a  creek  that  ordina- 
rily has  about  enough  water  in  it  to  allow  a  child  of 
two  years  to  wade  across  in  safety.  This  time  it  was 
swollen  by  recent  rains  into  a  torrent  through  which 
Grant  was  obliged  to  swim  his  horse  or  give  up  his 
visit.  Under  the  circumstances,  and  knowing  some- 
thing of  the  character  of  the  man,  we  can  readily 
surmise  what  he  did.  He  swam  over,  or  rather  he 
sat  on  his  saddle  while  the  animal  did  the  swimming, 
and  was  wet  through  and  through  before  reaching 
the   other  side. 

In  this  plight  he  went  to  Whitehaven,  where  he 
borrowed  some  dry  clothes  of  his  classmate,  and  thus 
made  himself  presentable  to  Miss  Dent  who  was  very 


60  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

glad  to  see  him.  Before  their  tete-d-tete  was  over, 
he  made  a  declaration  of  his  sentiments,  and  she  re- 
ciprocated. Thus  began  their  engagement,  which  was 
not  brought  to  an  end  by  a  wedding  until  four  years 
later. 

Lieutenant  Grant  and  Miss  Dent  corresponded  fre- 
quently during  their  four  years  of  waiting.  They 
saw  each  other  but  once  in  that  time,  when  he  vis- 
ited St.  Louis  on  a  short  leave  of  absence.  The 
parents  reluctantly  consented  to  the  marriage,  as  they 
did  not  think  that  a  young  subaltern,  with  nothing 
but  a  subaltern's  pay  and  with  slight  prospects  of 
advancement,  was  a  suitable  husband  for  their  daugh- 
ter. Besides,  she  would  be  separated  from  him  for 
long  periods ;  and  altogether  the  life  of  an  officer's 
wife  was  one  of  hardship. 

No  cause  was  assigned  for  the  removal  of  the  Fourth 
Infantry  from  St.  Louis  to  Louisiana ;  it  was  ordered 
to  go,  and  that  was  all  there  was  about  the  matter. 
The  real  reason  of  the  move  was  the  unsettled  feel- 
ing then  prevailing  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico  concerning   Texas. 

Texas  had  belonged  to  Mexico  down  to  1836,  when 
it  rebelled,  and  gained  its  independence.  For  thirty 
years  and  more  before  the  Revolution,  it  had  been 
the  resort  of  Americans  of  all  sorts  and  conditions, 
and  generally  of  a  very  bad  sort  and  condition.     Rene- 


TEXAS    IN    THE    "FORTIES."  61 

gades  of  all  kinds  sought  the  shelter  of  that  region, 
where  they  could  be  beyond  the  reach  of  Ameri- 
can laws  ;  and  the  country  was  said  to  have  derived 
its  name  from  the  last  words  of  a  couplet  which 
ran  thus : — 

"When  every  other  land  rejects  us, 
This  is  the  land  that  freely  takes  us." 

When  a  defaulter  absconded  leaving  his  creditors 
in  the  lurch,  and  the  sheriff  was  unable  to  find  him, 
it  was  customary  for  the  officer  to  indorse  on  the 
warrant  of  arrest  the  letters  "  G.  T.  T.,"  meaning 
thereby,  "  Gone  to  Texas. " 

In  Texas  in  those  days,  when  men  became  ac- 
quainted, it  was  not  the  custom  to  inquire  each 
other's  names,  but  to  wait  until  they  were  volunteered. 
When  an  acquaintance  had  ripened  into  brotherly  in- 
timacy and  an  oath  of  eternal  friendship,  then,  and 
not  till  then,  could  one  of  the  fraternal  pair  ask :  — 

"  Would  you  mind  tellinr  me  what  your  name  was 
afore  you  left  the  States  ?  " 

Some  interesting  stories  are  told  of  the  way  in 
which  the  Texans  gained  their  independence.  Gen- 
eral Sam  Houston,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  was  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  army,  and  afterwards  first 
president  of  the  republic.  At  the  battle  of  San  Ja- 
cinto, which  made  Texas  independent  of  Mexico, 
Houston   had    two    small    cannon    which   were   carried 


62  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

on  mules.  But  the  animals  with  the  carriages  for 
the  cannon  had  not  come  up ;  so  he  ordered  the 
guns  to  be  loaded,  and  then  had  the  mules  backed 
around  till  they  and  the  guns  were  aimed  at  the 
Mexicans.  Then  the  cannon  were  discharged,  and 
committed  much  havoc  among  the  enemy.  The  recoil 
threw  the  mules  to  their  knees  with  sufficient  force 
to  keep  them  there  till  the  guns  were  reloaded.  As 
the  animals  staggered  to  their  feet,  another  discharge 
threw  them  forward  again,  with  the  same  result  as 
before.  Two  or  three  times  the  mules  turned  around 
on  rising  to  their  feet,  and  thus  caused  consternation 
among  the  Texans ;  but  fortunately  the  guns  were 
not  discharged.  The  story  goes  that  these  cannon 
decided  the  result  of  the  battle. 

Very  soon  after  Texas  obtained  her  independence, 
and  was  recognized  by  the  United  States  and  several 
countries  of  the  Old  World,  a  movement  was  made 
for  her  annexation  to  the  United  States.  The  measure 
was  favored  by  the  slave  party  and  its  allies,  as  it 
was  clearly  understood  that  her  annexation  would  in- 
crease the  slaveholding  territory  of  the  country.  An- 
nexation was  accomplished  in  1845,  and  Texas  became 
one  of  the  sisterhood  of  States. 

Troops  were  concentrated  on  the  frontier  of  Texas  ; 
and  this  was  the  reason  why  the  Fourth  Infantry 
was  sent  to  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Jessop,  Louisiana, 


ON  THE  MEXICAN  FRONTIER.  63 

about  twenty-five  miles  east  of  the  boundary  of  Texas. 
Thither  went  Lieutenant  Grant  to  join  his  regiment, 
after  his  declaration  of  love  and  his  acceptance  by  the 
lady  of  his  admiration. 

It  was  hoped  that  the  trouble  between  the  United 
States  and  Mexico  would  cease  with  the  annexation 
of  Texas,  but  such  was  not  the  case.  Our  govern- 
ment resembled  the  real  estate-owner  who  said  that 
he  always  wanted  the  land  which  joined  his ;  and  as 
fast  as  he  obtained  possession  of  a  neighboring  farm 
he  proceeded  to  get  hold  of  the  one  next  it. 

The  Nueces  River  was  the  western  boundary  of 
Texas,  and  even  the  Texan  revolutionists  had  never 
claimed  to  own  beyond  it.  But  when  after  the  an- 
nexation the  United  States  sent  an  "  Army  of  Ob- 
servation "  under  General  Taylor  into  Texas,  our 
claims  were  pushed  forward  to  the  Rio  Grande,  about 
one  hundred  miles  beyond  the  Nueces.  We  had  no 
honest  claim  whatever  to  the  strip  of  land  between 
the  two  rivers,  but  we  wanted  it,  and  took  it.  Our 
action  was  about  as  honorable  as  that  of  the  armed 
bandit  who  robs  a  lone  traveler  on  the  road,  or  a 
midnight  prowler  who  appropriates  the  fowls  in  a 
farmer's  henhouse. 

Since  the  time  of  which  we  write  Texas  has  greatly 
increased  in  population  and  wealth.  Immense  herds 
of  cattle  roam  over  its  prairies ;  and  it  produces  cotton, 


64  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

corn,  and  other  staples  in  great  quantity;  There  is  a 
stringent  law  in  Texas  against  the  sale  of  intox- 
icants, and  another  against  the  carrying  of  concealed 
weapons;  and  altogether  the  community  is  an  orderly 
one. 

In  the  cattle  industry  any  animals  over  a  year 
old  that  are  found  without  a  brand  are  called  ?'  Mav- 
ericks," and  the  name  is  said  to  have  originated  as 
follows :  ■ — 

In  the  early  days  of  the  cattle  industry,  one  Colonel 
Maverick  took  possession  of  an  island  in  one  of  the 
rivers,  and  placed  some  cattle  upon  it  so  that  he 
could  know  where  to  find  them  when  he  wanted 
them.  He  paid  little  attention  to  his  property.  The 
cattle  increased  and  multiplied,  and  began  to  stray 
from  the  island,  so  that  other  cattle  owners  fre- 
quently found  unbranded  animals  from  Maverick's 
herd  among  their  own  stock.  One  day  a  party  of 
them  reported  to  the  colonel  that  two  thousand  bulls 
belonoincT  to  him  were  in  their  herds,  and  he  could 
have  them  by  picking  them  out.  "  For  Heaven's 
sake,  boys,"  said  lie,  "  go  in  and  help  yourselves ! " 
From  that  time  on  an  unbranded  yearling  has  been 
called  a  Maverick,  and  is  appropriated  by  the  finder. 

Strangers  in  Texas  are  made  the  victims  of  vari- 
ous practical  jokes,  and  among  them  is  that  of  quail- 
bagging.     A    party  of   six   or   eight   go   out  to  catch 


QUAIL-BAGGING.  65 

quails  at  night,  by  driving  them  into  large  sacks  that 
are  distended  at  the  mouth  by  means  of  hoops.  The 
bags  are  set  up  with  candles  above  them  to  attract 
the  birds.  Two  of  the  party,  novices,  are  left  to 
watch  the  bags,  while  the  others  disperse  "  to  drive 
in  the  quail."  Instead  of  driving  quail  they  go 
home,  leaving  the  two  unfortunates  to  continue  on 
the  watch  as  long  as  they  choose  to  stay. 


6Q  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER  V. 

On  to  Texas.  —  General  Taylor.  — Desires  of  the  Government.  —  State  of 
affairs  at  that  time.  —  Landing  of  the  Fourth  Infantry  at  Corpus 
Christi.  —  Oh  the  Nueces.  —  Grant's  personal  mishap.  —  Kinney,  the 
mule-trader.  —  Smuggling  as  a  profession. — Hunting  near  Corpus 
Christi.  —  Capturing  wild  horses.  —  Grant's  horse  transactions.  —  His 
promotion.  — Brevet  rank.  — Marching  to  the  Rio  Grande.  —  Encoun- 
tering great  herds  of  wild  horses.  —  Sights  on  the  plains. 

The  Fourth  Infantry,  with  portions  of  other  regi- 
ments, remained  in  camp  at  the  spot  whither  it  went 
from  St.  Louis,  and  after  the  annexation  it  was  moved 
into  Texas.  It  first  went  to  New  Orleans,  where 
it  remained  for  a  time,  and  then  embarked  on  sail- 
ing-ships for  Corpus  Christi,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Nueces.  Horses,  mules,  camp  equipage,  personal  bag- 
gage, ammunition,  and  other  things  were  put  on 
board  with  considerable  difficulty,  and  the  work  con- 
sumed several  days. 

General  Zachary  Taylor,  who  commanded  the  Army 
of  Observation,  was  ordered  to  take  possession  of  the 
disputed  territory.  The  Mexicans  had  announced  that 
they  would  resist  any  advance  beyond  the  Nueces ; 
they  had  never  acknowledged  the  independence  of 
Texas,  and  declared  that  in  any  event  the  new  State 
could  claim  nothing  beyond  that  river. 


GENERAL   ZACHARY   TAYLOR.  67 

General  Taylor  was  a  man  of  strong  personality. 
He  was  fond  of  agriculture,  and  during  his  whole 
military  career  he  owned  a  farm,  and  spent  upon  it 
all  the  time  he  could  spare  from  his  duties.  Through- 
out his  whole  life  he  drank  only  water  as  a  bev- 
erage ;  and  he  used  to  say  that  he  had  never  known 
an  officer  or  soldier,  or  any  one  else  connected  with 
the  army,  who  got  into  disgrace  and  was  cashiered 
or  discharged,  who  could  not  trace  his  trouble,  either 
directly  or  indirectly,  to  the  use  of  ardent  spirits. 
Soon  after  his  return  from  Mexico  he  dined  with  a 
gentleman  who  insisted  that  the  general  should  taste 
some  of  his  wine,  which  he  considered  among  the 
best  in  the  world.  General  Taylor  tasted  of  the 
wine,  and  immediately  followed  it  with  a  glass  of 
water,  which  he  drained  to  the  last  drop.  As  soon 
as  lie  could  speak,  he  said,  "  I  was  never  much  of 
a  judge  of  wine,  anyway." 

After  the  capture  of  Matamoras,  the  first  steamer 
that  arrived  from  New  Orleans  brought  a  consider- 
able quantity  of  fine  brandy  and  wines  as  presents 
to  General  Taylor  from  several  gentlemen  of  that 
city.  The  general  ordered  the  entire  lot  to  be  taken 
to  the  hospitals  for  the  use  of  the  sick,  reserving 
nothing  for  himself. 

Lady  Mary  Wortley  Montagu,  in  her  "  Travels 
in  America,"    describes    her   visit   to    General    Taylor 


68  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

at  the  White  House  while  he  was  president.  He 
talked  with  her  in  a  very  animated  way,  advising 
her  not  to  leave  America  without  seeing  the  Mis- 
sissippi River,  and  traveling  on  it  from  St.  Louis 
to  New  Orleans.  He  spoke  kindly  of  England;  and 
referring  to  steam  navigation  between  the  two  coun- 
tries, he  said, — 

"  The  voyage  will  be  made  shorter  and  shorter : 
and  I  expect  England  and  America  will  soon  be 
alongside  of  each  other,  ma'am.'' 

The  sailing-vessels  that  carried  the  troops  from 
New  Orleans  were  a  long  time  in  assembling  at  Cor- 
pus Christi.  General  Taylor  did  not  consider  it  pru- 
dent to  begin  landing  until  the  best  part  of  the  army 
had  arrived,  and  so  the  beginning  of  the  landing 
was  delayed.  The  bay  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nueces 
is  shallow ;  and  the  landing  was  made  by  means  of 
boats,  small  and  large,  and  two  or  three  small  steam- 
boats which  had  been  brought  along  for  landing 
purposes.  Lieutenant  Grant  was  actively  employed 
in  the  landing  preparations,  and  had  some  rough 
experiences. 

In  transferring  stores,  men,  horses,  and  baggage, 
from  the  ships  to  the  boats,  the  loads  were  lowered 
down  by  means  of  pulleys.  When  the  water  was 
smooth,  which  was  not  very  often,  there  was  no  great 
difficulty  in  the  operation ;  but  when  the  "  land  swell  " 


A    SLIGHT   MISHAP.  69 

was  on,  a  considerable  amount  of  care  was  requisite. 
The  loads  were  lowered  to  a  point  a  little  higher 
than  the  deck  of  the  boat.  Then  the  swell  was 
watched  until  the  ship  and  boat  were  both  together 
in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  when  the  signal  was  given, 
and  as  quickly  as  possible  the  load  was  drawn  over 
the  boat  and  lowered  rapidly  to  its  deck. 

Lieutenant  Grant  went  ashore  with  some  of  the 
earliest  of  the  landing  party.  After  he  had  been 
there  a  few  days,  he  had  occasion  to  go  back  to  the 
ship,  which  he  easily  did  by  one  of  the  returning 
boats.  When  the  object  of  his  visit  was  accomplished, 
and  he  was  to  go  ashore  again,  he  thought  he  knew 
enough  about  the  working  of  the  pulley  to  lower 
himself  without  any  help.  So  he  mounted  a  railing, 
seized  the  pulley-rope  between  the  upper  pulley  and 
the  lower  one,  put  his  feet  on  the  hook,  and  swung 
himself  away.  Instantly  his  feet  rose  in  the  air  with 
great  rapidity,  and  his  head  went  down  at  the  same 
rate  of  speed ;  he  lost  his  hold,  and  made  a  plunge 
of  twenty-five  feet  into  the  water,  going  down  head 
foremost  in  the  manner  of  a  diver. 

He  thought  he  touched  bottom,  but  wasn't  quite 
certain.  When  he  rose  to  the  surface  once  more  he 
looked  around  with  a  good  deal  of  astonishment, 
but  did  not  lose  his  presence  of  mind.  He  was  a 
very  good  swimmer,  and  easily  sustained  himself  until 


70  BOYS*    LIFE   OF   GENERAL   GRANT. 

a  rope  was  lowered  to  him,  and  he  was  lifted  to 
the  deck  of  the  ship  without  having  suffered  any 
injury  whatever,  other  than  being  wet  through  to 
the  skin.  When  it  was  found  that  he  had  escaped 
unhurt,  nobody  sympathized  with  him  in  the  least, 
but  every  one  thought  it  was  a  capital  joke.  Grant 
did  not  see  the  joke  at  that  time  as  plainly  as  did 
the  others ;  and  it  was  not  till  his  clothing  was  fully 
dry  that  he  could  see  the  humorous  side  of  the  per- 
formance. 

At  that  time  Corpus  Christi  consisted  of  a  cluster 
of  perhaps  twenty  small  houses,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  the  place  were  principally  engaged  in  smuggling. 
An  American  named  Kinney  was  the  leading  man 
of  the  place,  and  the  rest  of  the  population  were 
mostly  subordinate  to  him.  Kinney  brought  goods 
from  the  United  States  by  means  of  sailing-craft 
from  New  Orleans.  When  they  were  landed,  he  made 
them  up  into  packages  of  one  hundred  pounds  for 
convenience  in  carrying,  and  two  of  these  packages 
made  a  load  for  a  mule.  They  were  fastened  to- 
gether with  ropes,  and  slung  across  the  backs  of  these 
sturdy  animals.  There  were  no  wagon-roads  in  that 
part  of  the  country,  at  least  none  that  were  prac- 
ticable for  business  purposes ;  and  consequently  every- 
thing that  had  to  be  transported  was  carried  on  the 
backs  of  mules. 


A    FRONTIER    SMUGGLER.  71 

Kinney  was  occasionally  visited  by  Mexican  sol- 
diers, who  wanted  to  break  up  his  business  ;  and  he 
was  also  visited  at  irregular  intervals  by  the  Co- 
manche Indians,  who  wished  to  steal  his  goods.  He 
bought  off  the  soldiers  with  silver  and  gold  coin,  and 
fought  off  the  Indians  with  a  stock  of  rifles  and  other 
weapons  which  he  kept  constantly  at  hand  and  ready 
for  use.  There  has  always  been  a  great  deal  of 
smuggling  into  Mexico  from  the  north,  as  it  is  prac- 
ticably impossible  for  the  Mexicans  to  maintain  an 
efficient  guard  along  their  extended  frontier. 

Kinney  was  at  first  inclined  to  look  very  coldly 
upon  the  new  arrivals  ;  but  on  finding  that  General 
Taylor  respected  private  propert}7,  and  paid  for  every- 
thing he  wanted,  he  became  friendly,  and  furnished 
the'  American  commander  with  a  good  deal  of  infor- 
mation concerning  the  country  around  them  and  its 
resources. 

There  was  not  a  single  house  or  settlement  of  any 
kind  between  the  Nueces  and  the  Rio  Grande.  The 
roads  across  the  country  were  mere  trails.  Much  of 
the  region  was  a  sandy  desert ;  and  there  were  occa- 
sional stretches  of  forest  and  chaparral,  or  thickets 
of  brush  and  tall  reeds.  It  was  impossible  to  pene- 
trate far  into  the  chapparral  without  cutting  one's 
way  with  a  hatchet;  and  the  density  of  the  vegetable 
growth    made    the    place    a   splendid    one    for   an   am- 


72  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

bush.  The  country  abounded  in  game,  and  the  office  rs 
spent  a  good  deal  of  their  leisure  time  in  hunting. 

One  day  while  Lieutenant  Grant  and  a  friend  were 
out  on  a  hunt  they  suddenly  came  upon  a  party  of 
Comanches.  The  Indians  were  not  more  than  half  a 
mile  away  when  the  officers  discovered  them,  and 
then  followed  a  wild  ride  in  the  direction  of  Corpus 
Christi.  At  first  the  Indians  gained  on  the  officers, 
and  it  looked  very  much  as  though  the  latter  would 
lose  their  scalps ;  but  after  a  time  the  tables  were 
turned,  and  the  Comanches  fell  behind.  They  did 
not  abandon  the  chase  until  Corpus  Christi  and  the 
camp  were  within  less  than  a  mile,  and  they  knew 
that  farther  pursuit  was  useless. 

The  Mexicans  used  to  hunt  deer  with  a  stalking- 
horse;  that  is,  they  had  the  dry  skin  of  the  head, 
neck,  and  about  half  of  the  body  of  the  horse.  This 
they  pushed  along  before  them,  while  they  themselves, 
armed  with  their  rifles,  crawled  on  the  ground,  occa- 
sionally stopping  as  if  to  feed,  until  they  got  within 
shooting  distance  of  the  game. 

There  were  great  numbers  of  horses  on  the  plains 
around  Corpus  Christi  and  away  to  the  north. 
Horses  were  cheap  in  this  locality,  as  the  Mexicans 
could  catch  them  without  much  difficulty  whenever 
they  wanted  any.  One  day  General  Taylor  called 
together    all    the    Mexicans   and    other    idlers    around 


HUNTING   WILD   HORSES.  73 

the  camp,  and  said  he  would  give  a  fair  price  for 
fifty  wild  horses. 

Hardly  had  the  words  passed  his  lips  before  sev- 
eral Mexicans  sprang  on  their  steeds  and  started  for 
the  herds  of  wild  horses  thirty  or  forty  miles  away. 
They  built  a  corral,  or  yard,  with  a  fence  about  ten 
feet  high,  and  with  a  funnel-shaped  entrance  extend- 
ing out  on  the  plain  for  a  mile  or  more.  Then 
they  surrounded  a  herd  and  drove  it  in,  selected 
fifty  of  the  best  of  the  animals,  turned  the  others 
loose,  and  hastened  back  to  camp  with  their  prizes. 
The  captives  were  turned  over  to  General  Taylor ; 
and  the  Mexicans  thought  they  were  well  paid  on 
receiving  five  dollars  apiece  for  the  animals.  In  a 
short  time  two-thirds  of  them  had  been  broken  to 
harness,  and  the  rest  were  sold  to  the  officers  at 
prices  varying  from  five  to  twenty  dollars. 

Lieutenant  Grant  bought  three  of  the  captured 
horses,  and  came  near  having  his  neck  broken  while 
training  them.  He  had  them  well  broken  to  the 
saddle  just  before  the  army  moved,  but  lost  them  all 
by  an  unfortunate  accident.  A  colored  boy,  who 
looked  after  the  tent,  did  the  cooking  for  Grant  and 
another  officer,  and  attended  to  their  horses,  was 
one  day  riding  one  of  Grant's  horses  to  water  and 
leading  the  other  two.  The  led  horses  pulled  him 
from    the   back   of    the    one    he  was    riding,  and   then 


74  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

all  three  ran  away.  Some  one  mentioned  the  mat- 
ter to  Captain  Bliss,  General  Taylor's  adjutant-gen- 
eral ;  and  the  latter  remarked,  "  Yes,  I  heard  Grant 
lost  five  or  six  dollars'  worth  of  horses  the  other 
day."  Grant  afterwards  said  that  the  remark  was 
a  slander,  as  the  horses  cost  nearly  twenty  dollars 
instead  of  six.  He  never  saw  or  heard  of  them 
afterwards. 

The  officers  and  soldiers  in  General  Taylor's  army 
had  a  good  deal  of  fun  with  occasionally  a  broken 
limb  in  subduing  the  horses  which  were  caught  as 
described.  When  the  animals  were  fulljT  subdued, 
pony  races  became  fashionable,  and  there  was  a  great 
deal  of  fast  riding  up  and  down  the  beach.  Nearly 
every  race  was  accompanied  by  tumbles ;  and  on  some 
occasions  fully  one-half  the  riders  were  on  the 
ground  before  the  contest  ended.  By  degrees  the 
horses  were  sobered  down,  and  became  fair  riding- 
beasts.  They  were  well-formed  and  powerful  crea- 
tures, closely  resembling  the  Norman  horse,  and  with 
heavy  tails  and  manes.  They  were  much  better  for 
practical  use  than  the  horses  brought  from  the 
States,  as  the  northern  horse  required  to  be  fed, 
partly,  at  least,  on  grain,  while  the  captured  horse 
had  never  seen  a  particle  of  grain  in  his  life,  and 
thrived  well  on  grass  alone. 

Gradually    General  Taylor's    army  got  in  readiness 


AT   CORPUS   CHRISTI.  75 

for  active  work.  It  was  an  army  of  about  three 
thousand  men  in  all ;  but  it  was  of  excellent  material, 
and  thoroughly  drilled  and  disciplined.  In  the  begin- 
ning it  was  composed  entirely  of  regular  troops  ;  but 
later  on  it  was  largely  augmented  by  several  volun- 
teer regiments.  The  position  at  Corpus  Christi  was 
not  disturbed  at  all  by  the  Mexicans.  It  was  known 
that  they  were  in  camp  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  had  been  ordered  not  to  cross  the  coun- 
try to  the  Nueces  and  provoke  a  conflict. 

The  policy  of  the  Government  was  to  so  arrange 
matters  as  to  have  the  Mexicans  bring  on  hostili- 
ties ;  but  finding  that  the  Mexicans  would  not  come 
to  the  Nueces,  it  was  necessary  to  go  to  the  Rio 
Grande  and  meet  them. 

While  the  army  was  in  camp  at  Corpus  Christi, 
Lieutenant  Grant  was  promoted  from  the  rank  of 
brevet  second  lieutenant  to  a  full  second  lieutenancy. 
Perhaps  some  of  our  readers  may  require  an  expla- 
nation of  the  term  "brevet."  It  is  an  honorary  appel- 
lation; and  when  conferred  on  an  officer,  promotes 
him  to  receive  the  full  pay  of  the  rank  to  which 
lie  is  brevetted  when  he  performs  the  duty  thereof. 
Thus  a  colonel  promoted  for  meritorious  service  of 
some  kind  receives  a  commission  as  brevet  brigadier- 
general.  He  is  not  a  full  brigadier-general  and  en- 
titled to  the   entire   pay   thereof,   but  he   still   remains 


76  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

a  colonel.  There  is  this  difference  however :  when- 
ever he  is  assigned  to  the  command  of  a  brigade,  he 
is  entitled  to  the  full  pay  of  a  brigadier-general, 
which  would  not  be  the  case  had  he  not  received  the 
brevet  rank. 

In  his  promotion,  Lieutenant  Grant  was  appointed 
into  the  Seventh  Infantry ;  but  he  had  become  so  at- 
tached to  the  Fourth,  that  he  asked  and  obtained 
permission  to  remain  in  it.  The  regiment  at  that 
time  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Whistler,  who  had 
been  in  the  service  for  forty  years ;  in  fact,  he  was 
the  oldest  officer  in  term  of  service,  except  General 
Scott. 

Orders  came  from  Washington  for  the  advance  of 
the  army  towards  the  Rio  Grande.  The  advance  be- 
gan on  the  8th  of  March,  1846,  and  was  led  by  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  the  regiment  in  which  Lieutenant 
Grant  was  serving.  There  was  no  enemy  in  the  way, 
the  scouts  having  just  reported  that  the  Mexicans 
were  holding  close  to  the  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  giving  no  indication  of  any  intent  to  move  out 
and  meet  the  Americans. 

The  camp  was  completely  broken  up ;  and  the  pro- 
cession of  soldiers,  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery, 
and  the  long  line  of  baggage  wagons  with  their 
snow-white  covers,  made  a  picturesque  sight.  At  the 
start,  the    men   marched   as   it'   on    parade;   but  before 


MARCH   TO   THE    RIO   GRANDE.  77 

the  first  mile  was  ended,  the  order  was  given  "Arms 
at  will !  "  and  the  soldiers  were  permitted  to  travel 
as  they  pleased,  except  that  they  were  forbidden  to 
straggle  by  the  roadside  or  wander  away  from  their 
commands. 

The  march  across  the  country  from  the  Nueces  to 
the  Rio  Grande  consumed  fourteen  days.  General 
Taylor  had  given  strict  orders  that  there  should  be 
no  plundering  of  any  kind;  but  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  May  it  made  little  difference  what  the  orders 
were,  as  there  wasn't  anything  to  be  taken,  and  no- 
body to  be  plundered.  As  before  stated,  the  country 
was  quite  unsettled,  while  its  sole  inhabitants  were 
deer,  wild  horses  and  other  animals,  and  birds  that 
had  never  seen  a  hunter. 

When  the  army  neared  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  they  came  upon  gardens  and  fields  and 
houses,  and  then  the  regulations  of  the  commanding 
general  came  into  force.  Nothing  was  taken  with- 
out being  paid  for;  and  the  inhabitants,  who  were 
very  much  afraid  at  first,  were  soon  convinced  that 
the  dreaded  Americans  were  not  as  black  as  they 
had  been  painted. 

One  day  during  the  march,  the  greater  part  of  the 
herd  of  horses  from  which  their  captured  animals 
were  taken  was  seen  in  the  front  of  the  column. 
The   army   went  into  camp   early   that  afternoon,   and 


78  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

some  of  the  officers  rode  out  to  examine  the  herd. 
They  found  the  animals  very  numerous ;  and  Lieu- 
tenant Grant,  who  was  of  the  party,  said  that  he  did 
not  believe  the  herd  could  be  pastured  in  the  State 
of  Rhode  Island  or  Delaware,  without  eating  up  all 
the  grass  in  one  day  and  moving  to  another  State  on 
the  next  to  avoid  starvation.  Such  were  the  herds 
of  wild  horses  in  Texas  fifty  years  ago ;  and  quite  as 
large,  too,  were  the  herds  of  buffalo  that  roamed 
the  prairies  of  the  West  in  the  first  half  of  this 
century.  These  great  herds  of  horses  and  buffalo 
have  totally  disappeared,  and  only  a  few  scattered 
hundreds  of  these  animals  remain  in  a  wild  state. 
Such  is  the  destruction  that  accompanies  civilization. 
General  Taylor  reached  the  Rio  Grande  at  Point 
Isabel,  where  he  established  a  depot  of  supplies ;  and 
then  marched  about  thirty  miles  up  the  river,  till  he 
reached  a  point  opposite  Matamoras. 


IN   SIGHT   OF   MAT  AMOR  AS,  79 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Arrival  opposite  Matamoras.  —  Fort  Brown  and  Brownsville.  —  Attack 
by  Mexicans.  —  Point  Isabel.  —  Sending  for  provisions.  —  Fort  Brown 
shelled.  —  Taylor's  return  from  Point  Isabel. — Attacked  by  the 
Mexican  army.  —  Battle  of  Palo  Alto.  —  An  artillery  duel.  —  Battle 
of  Resaca  de  la  Palma.  —  Victory  for  the  Americans.  —Grant's  part 
in  the  battles.  —  Return  to  Fort  Brown. — Occupation  of  Matamoras 
and  Camargo.  —  Movement  on  Monterey. 

Mexican  flags  were  flying  in  great  numbers  over 
the  flat-topped  houses  of  Matamoras,  and  considerable 
crowds  of  people  were  on  the  roofs  of  the  dwellings 
watching  the  new  arrivals  on  the  opposite  bank. 
The  river  at  this  point  is  about  four  hundred  feet 
across,  and  if  the  Mexicans  had  desired  to  do  so  they 
could  have  disturbed  the  strangers  very  much  by  in- 
fantry and  artillery  fire.  Mexican  soldiers  were  nu- 
merous in  the  streets  of  Matamoras,  and  just  below 
the  city  there  was  a  military  camp  of  considerable 
extent.  The  indications  were  that  the  Mexicans  out- 
numbered the  Americans  two  to  one,  but  not  a  hostile 
shot  was  fired  on  either  side. 

The  day  the  army  arrived,  some  children  were  pad- 
dling about  the  river  in  a  boat  and  came  over  to  the 
American  shore.  The  soldiers  treated  them  kindly, 
and    played    with    them,    the    little    ones    showing    no 


80  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

fear  of  the  strange  men  among  whom  they  had  fallen. 
Suddenly  agonizing  shrieks  were  heard  from  the  op- 
posite shore,  supposed  to  come  from  the  mothers  of 
the  young  estrays.  The  children  were  at  once  bundled 
into  the  boat  and  sent  home,  where  they  greatly  aston- 
ished their  parents  by  their  return  safe  and  unharmed. 

A  few  days  after  the  arrival  of  General  Taylor 
opposite  Matamoras,  a  scouting-party  of  cavahy  under 
command  of  Captain  Thornton  was  attacked  by  the 
Mexicans  several  miles  from  Fort  Brown,  a  fortification 
which  General  Taylor  had  thrown  up.  Captain  Thorn- 
ton was  killed  with  several  of  his  men,  and  the  rest 
were  captured.  This  was  exactly  what  our  govern- 
ment desired.  A  condition  of  war  existed,  and  Mexico 
had  fired  the  first  shot ! 

When  the  news  reached  Washington,  and  was  made 
public,  there  was  great  excitement  in  the  National 
Capital.  There  were  no  telegraphs  in  those  days  ex- 
cept a  line  between  New  York  and  Washington,  the 
telegraph  not  being  fairty  established  in  America  until 
two  or  three  years  later.  The  country  became  wild 
over  the  intelligence,  and  the  war  spirit  was  rampant. 
President  Polk  issued  an  extraordinary  proclamation, 
stating  that  a  condition  of  war  existed,  the  Mexicans 
having  shed  the  blood  of  our  soldiers  on  our  own 
soil.  Congress  authorized  the  raising  of  fifty  thousand 
volunteers  to   carry  the  war  into  Mexico,  and  punish 


MEXICANS    BOMBARD    FORT    BROWN.  81 

that  country  for  her  insults  and  outrages.  Volunteer 
regiments  were  formed  with  great  rapidity,  and  sent 
to  re-enforce  the  army  in  the  field. 

Meantime,  the  provisions  which  General  Taylor 
brought  with  him  from  Corpus  Christi  had  run  short, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  renew  them.  For  this  pur- 
pose General  Taylor  sent  his  wagon-train  to  Point 
Isabel,  with  nearly  his  whole  army  as  an  escort.  He 
left  Fort  Brown  in  the  possession  of  two  companies 
of  the  Tenth  Infantry,  commanded  by  the  major  after 
whom  the  fortification  was  named.  Immediately  on 
the  departure  of  the  American  army,  the  Mexicans 
began  shelling  Fort  Brown,  and  continued  to  bombard 
it  for  six  or  eight  days.  The  garrison  fought  vigor- 
ously, and  held  the  fort ;  though  it  is  proper  to  say 
that  the  Mexicans  made  no  attempt  to  carry  it  by 
storm.  Only  two  of  the  garrison  were  killed  (one 
of  them  being  the  commandant,  Major  Brown  J,  and 
some  ten  or  twelve  wounded. 

General  Taylor  and  the  force  accompanying  him 
reached  Point  Isabel  without  molestation.  The  wagons 
were  loaded,  and  on  the  7th  of  May  the  army  left 
Point  Isabel  on  its  return  to  Matamoras.  About  noon 
on  the  8th  of  May,  while  the  men  were  halted  about 
three  miles  from  Palo  Alto,  they  became  aware  of  the 
presence  of  the  enemy.  Palo  Alto  means  "  tall  tim- 
ber," and  the  name  was  given  to  the  place  on  account 
of  the  high  trees  in  its  vicinity. 


H2  boys'  ltfe  of  general  grant. 

When  the  army  got  in  motion  again,  it  was  attacked 
by  the  Mexicans  with  artillery  and  cavalry.  Grant's 
regiment  sustained  a  heavy  lire,  both  at  the  opening 
of  the  engagement  and  later  on.  The  Mexicans  were 
under  cover  of  the  timber,  and  thus  had  an  advantage 
over  the  Americans  who  were  marching  across  the 
treeless  prairie.  The  grass  on  the  prairie  was  tall, 
so  that  only  the  heads  of  the  men  were  visible  as  they 
marched  along.  Before  the  Americans  cam",  within 
range  of  the  Mexicans'  guns,  Taylor  formed  his  army 
into  line  of  battle ;  and  when  everything  was  ready 
the  line  was  ordered  to  advance. 

As  soon  as  the  Americans  got  within  range  of  the 
enemy's  guns,  the  Mexicans  opened  fire.  The  can- 
non-balls passed  through  the  American  ranks,  but 
did  not  at  first  injure  anybody,  as  they  struck  the 
ground  before  reaching  the  Americans,  and  then 
ricochetted,  or  rebounded,  through  the  tall  grass  so 
slowly  that  the  Americans  could  see  them  coming, 
and  open  the  ranks  to  allow  them  to  go  harmlessly 
by. 

Durino-  the  battle  a  soldier  on  the  rig-lit  of  the 
line  got  beyond  two  Mexican  soldiers,  and  was  con- 
siderably alarmed  when  he  found  where  he  was. 
But  he  determined  to  put  on  a  bold  front,  and  actu- 
ally succeeded  in  driving  his  two  enemies  within 
our  lines,  although  both   of  them  were  armed.     When 


BATTLE   OF   PALO   ALTO.  88 

he   came    with    his   prisoners    before    his    colonel,    the 
latter  asked  in  astonishment,  — 

"  How  did  you  manage  to  capture  these  two  Mex- 
icans at  once  ?  " 

"I  just  surrounded  'em  and  fetched  'em  in,"  was 
the  reply. 

The  battle  of  Palo  Alto  lasted  four  or  five  hours, 
and  was  principally  an  artillery  duel,  the  Mexicans 
firing  nothing  bv>t  solid  shot,  while  we  fired  both 
shot  and  shell.  General  Taylor  had  several  twelve- 
pound  howitzers  throwing  shell,  and  also  three  eigh- 
teen-pounders.  The  latter  were  drawn  by  oxen,  and 
therefore  moved  slowly  ;  but  they  had  a  long  range, 
and  did  excellent  work.  The  Mexicans  were  in  much 
larger  numbers  than  the  Americans.  In  consequence 
of  the  superiority  of  the  American  guns,  it  is  prob- 
uble  that  the  Mexican  loss  was  much  greater  than 
that  of  the  Americans,  the  latter  being  nine  killed 
and  forty-seven  wounded.  The  Mexicans  fell  back 
two  or  three  times  during  the  battle ;  and  at  the 
slose  of  the  day  the  Americans  occupied  the  ground 
which  was  held  by  the  Mexicans  when  the  fight 
began. 

On  the  morning  of  the  ninth,  an  examination  of 
the  ground  in  front  of  the  Americans  showed  that 
the  enemy  had  retired  during  the  night.  The  army 
pushed  forward  slowly,    Lieutenant   Grant  being  sent 


84  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

forward  with  his  company  to  explore  the  chaparral 
on  the  right  of  the  advance,  and  prevent  the  army 
being  ambushed.  This  was  a  hazardous  piece  of 
work ;  but  work  that  was  necessary,  and  cheerfully 
performed.  Luckily  for  Grant  and  his  men,  nothing 
was  found  to  interfere  with  their  movements.  They 
moved  slowly  on  till  they  came  to  a  line  of  ponds 
or  lakes  formed  by  a  change  in  the  bed  of  the 
Rio  Grande  a  long  time  before.  The  Mexicans  had 
gone  to  the  other  side  of  these  ponds,  and  thrown 
up  a  defense  of  dead  trees  and  brush  in  their  front, 
and  placed  their  artillery  so  as  to  defend  the  ap- 
proaches to  their  position. 

Word  was  sent  back  to  the  army ;  and  while  it 
was  coming  up,  the  advance  party  to  which  Lieuten- 
ant Grant  belonged  began  firing  upon  the  enemy. 
When  the  army  arrived,  Grant  pressed  forward  with 
his  company  whenever  he  could  find  a  chance  to  do 
so,  and  suddenly  found  himself  much  nearer  the 
enemy  than  he  thought  he  was.  The  fighting  became 
general,  and  after  a  time  the  Mexicans  gave  wa}r. 
Grant  pursued  a  battalion  of  them  until  he  discov- 
ered that  he  had  penetrated  quite  a  distance  into 
their  lines.  Luckily  for  him,  the  Mexicans  whom 
he  pursued  halted  and  surrendered,  and  he  dropped 
back  a  little  until  he  rejoined  his  own  line. 

The    fight    of    the    9th    of    May    is   known    as    the 


BATTLE   OF    RESACA   DE   LA   PALMA.  SO 

battle  of  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  which  means  '•  Grove 
of  Palms."  The  artillery  was  used  much  less  than 
at  Palo  Alto,  owing  to  the  thickness  and  the  density 
of  the  chaparral.  The  infantry  was  several  times 
engaged ;  and  more  than  once  during  the  battle  bay- 
onets were  crossed.  When  the  Mexican  line  gave 
way,  it  broke  in  great  confusion,  the  Mexicans  fleeing 
towards  the  river  about  three  miles  back  in  the 
rear  of  where  the  line  of  battle  had  formed.  The 
pursuing  Americans  found  the  enemy's  camp  with 
a  good  breakfast  ready  cooked  and  the  tables  spread 
for  eating.  Some  of  the  soldiers  wanted  to  stop  and 
be  the  uninvited  guests  of  the  Mexicans,  but  their 
officers  pushed  them  on  after  the  fleeing  foe.  Many 
of  the  latter  were  killed  while  retreating,  and  many 
were  drowned  in  the  Rio  Grande  while  attempting  to 
swim  over  to  the  other  side. 

The  American  loss  in  killed  and  mortally  wounded 
at  Resaca  de  la  Palma  was  forty-four.  Among  the 
killed  was  Lieutenant  Cochrane  of  the  Fourth  Infan- 
try, Grant's  regiment.  General  Taylor  captured  eight 
cannon,  two  thousand  small  arms,  several  flags,  and 
a  large  quantity  of  military  supplies  and  camp  equi- 
page. Nearly  one  thousand  prisoners  were  taken,  and 
were  marched  along  with  the  army  to  Fort  Brown. 
Lieutenant  Grant  was  under  heavy  fire  several  times 
during  both  battles,  but  escaped  unharmed. 


86  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

General  Taylor's  march  the  rest  of  the  way  to 
Fort  Brown  was  not  interrupted;  and  when  his  army 
reached  there  the  firing  jupon  the  fort  was  stopped 
at  once. 

In  a  few  days  the  Mexicans  evacuated  Matamoras, 
and  General  Taylor  crossed  the  river  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  town.  They  found  it  a  pleasant  old- 
fashioned  Mexican  settlement ;  some  of  the  houses  of 
stone,  but  the  majority  constructed  of  adobe  or  sun- 
dried  brick.  Adobe  is  one  of  the  most  common  build- 
ing materials  throughout  Mexico,  as  it  is  both  cheap 
and  durable.  The  bricks  are  made  of  cla}^,  sand,  and 
straw,  and  are  almost  identical  with  the  bricks  which 
the  Israelites  made  in  Egypt  many  hundreds  of  years 
ago. 

After  the  occupation  of  Matamoras  by  the  Amer- 
icans, the  army  changed  its  name  again.  At  first, 
as  the  reader  knows,  it  was  called  the  "Army  of 
Observation ; "  then  when  it  came  to  Corpus  Christi 
it  was  the  "  Army  of  Occupation,"  meaning  thereby 
that  it  was  possessing  territory  which  was  in  dispute 
between  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  Now  that 
we  had  passed  beyond  the  boundary  of  all  our  claims, 
the  force  under  General  Taylor's  command  became 
the  "  Army  of  Invasion." 

At  the  time  President  Polk  issued  his  proclama- 
tion  declaring   the   existence  of    a  state  of  war,  Gen- 


INVADING   MEXICO.  87 

eral  Scott,  who  was  then  the  ranking  officer  of  the 
army,  was  instructed  to  proceed  to  Mexico  by  way 
of  Vera  Cruz.  His  plan  was  to  land  near  the  last- 
named  city  and  establish  his  camp,  and  begin  siege 
operations  as  soon  as  possible.  After  capturing  Vera 
Cruz  he  would  then  follow  the  road  to  the  City  of 
Mexico,  up  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountains  which 
stand  between  that  city  and  the  sea. 

General  Taylor  received  orders  to  advance  into  Mex- 
ico, and  then  proceeded  to  occupy  Camargo,  farther 
up  the  Rio  Grande.  Volunteer  regiments  arrived  one 
after  another,  and  were  landed  at  Point  Isabel,  or 
taken  up  the  river  by  steamboats  to  Matamoras  or 
Camargo.  Some  of  the  troops  marched  along  the 
banks  of  the  river ;  but  the  heat  was  so  great  that 
the  marching  was  done  principally  at  night.  It  was 
the  custom  to  break  camp  about  midnight,  march 
until  nine  in  the  morning,  and  then  form  camp  again. 

The  policy  of  conciliation  towards  the  people  that 
had  been  commenced  at  Corpus  Christi  was  adhered 
to  by  General  Taylor.  No  marauding  was  allowed ; 
everything  taken  was  paid  for ;  and  many  of  the  in- 
habitants who  had  fled  in  terror  at  the  approach  of 
our  troops,  returned  to  their  homes  when  they  learned 
how  matters  were  going.  General  Taylor  gave  orders 
that  Camargo  should  be  fortified ;  and  a  line  of  de- 
fense was  thrown  up.     It  was  here  that  General  Pil- 


88  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

low,  a  volunteer  officer  from  Kentucky,  committed 
the  mistake  of  placing  the  ditch  of  his  fortification 
on  the  wrong  side.  This  blunder  became  widely 
known,    and   adhered   to   him   through   life. 

At  Camargo,  Lieutenant  Grant  was  made  acting- 
assistant-quartermaster,  in  charge  of  the  property  of 
the  Fourth  Infantry;  It  was  an  appointment  of  con- 
siderable importance,  entailing  much  more  activity  and 
responsibility  than  his  former  position  of  second  lieu- 
tenant in  the  line.  It  required  considerable  business 
capacity,  and  the  records  show  that  the  young  lieu- 
tenant acquitted  himself  creditably. 

During  the  halt  at  Matamoras  and  Camargo,  there 
was  comparatively  little  for  the  officers  and  soldiers 
to  do.  There  was  a  large  amount  of  military  stores 
in  Matamoras,  left  behind  by  the  retreating  Mexicans ; 
and  among  their  public  property  was  a  great  quan- 
tity of  cigars  and  tobacco.  Tobacco  was  a  govern- 
ment monopoly  in  Mexico,  the  same  as  in  France, 
Spain,  and  other  Continental  countries.  General  Tay- 
lor distributed  the  tobacco  and  its  products  among 
the  soldiers,  and  for  a  few  days  nearly  everybody 
seemed  to  be  engaged  in  smoking  for  at  least  twelve 
out  of  the  twenty-four  hours. 

The  hospitals  were  full  of  wounded  Mexicans,  and 
our  army  surgeons  were  kept  busy  attending  them. 
Many   of   our  soldiers   mingled  with   the   natives,   and 


ADVANCE   ON   MONTEREY.  89 

endeavored  to  learn  Spanish ;  and  very  quickly  they 
were  on  the  best  of  terms  with  the  people. 

It  was  not  until  late  in  August  that  the  army 
was  in  readiness  to  be  put  in  motion.  Monterey 
was  General  Taylor's  objective  point,  the  largest  city 
of  Northern  Mexico,  and  finely  situated  on  a  pla- 
teau two  thousand  feet  high.  General  Taylor  moved 
in  its  direction  with  an  army  of  six  thousand  men, 
about  equally  divided  between  regulars  and  volunteers. 
There  was  no  hurry  about  the  movement;  and  the 
marches  were  slow,  avoiding  as  much  as  possible  the 
great  heat  of  the  middle  of  the  day.  The  plan  of 
the  movement  up  the  river  to  Camargo  was  followed  ; 
the  army  breaking  camp  at  midnight,  marching  un- 
til nine  in  the  morning,  and  then  going  into  camp 
until  midnight  came  around  again.  The  army  moved 
in  four  divisions,  one  day  apart  from  each  other ;  and 
on  nearing  Monterey,  the  foremost  divisions  halted, 
until  the  others  came  up. 

The  roads  were  very  bad,  and  a  wagon-train  which 
up  to  Camargo  had  been  quite  sufficient  for  the 
needs  of  the  army  was  totally  inadequate  for  the 
movement  to  Monterey.  To  make  up  for  the  de- 
ficiency it  was  necessary  to  hire  pack-mules,  and  also 
to  hire  Mexicans  to  manage  them.  If  the  work  of 
management,  packing,  handling,  and  driving  had  been 
thrown    upon    the   soldiers,   it   would    have     required 


90  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

about  twice  as  many  men  as  they  had  in  the  army  at 
the  time. 

It  took  several  hours  to  pack  up  the  camp  equi- 
page of  a  regiment,  and  load  it  on  the  backs  of  the 
mules.  By  the  time  the  last  of  the  mules  were 
loaded  the  first  had  got  tired  of  standing,  and  kicked 
their  burdens  off;  and  when  they  began  to  kick  they 
usually  kept  at  it  until  everything,  packsaddle  in- 
cluded, was  scattered  about  on  the  ground.  Some 
would  start  to  run,  humping  their  backs,  or  "  buck- 
ing "  as  the  process  was  called,  at  the  same  time 
kicking  their  heels  high  in  the  air.  If  this  was  not 
successful  they  would  try  to  disarrange  their  packs 
by  lying  down  and  rolling  on  the  ground.  Mules 
that  had  been  loaded  with  tent-poles  would  manage 
to  get  a  small  tree  between  themselves  and  the  poles, 
and  in  this  way  they  were  quickly  released  from 
their  burdens.  Lieutenant  Grant  learned  all  about 
the  business  in  his  capacity  of  assistant-quarter- 
master. In  speaking  of  it,  he  said  that  he  was  not 
aware  of  ever  having  used  profane  language  in  his 
life,  but  he  could  excuse  any  man  who  did  so  while 
in  charge  of  a  train  of  Mexican  packing-mules. 

The  Mexicans  made  no  opposition  to  General  Tay- 
lor's advance.  A  few  squads  of  cavalry  were  seen, 
and  that  was  all ;  and  very  often  the  cavalry  came 
quite    near    the    advance    of   our   army.      Orders    had 


A   PRACTICAL   JOKE.  91 

been  issued  that  there  should  be  no  shooting  at  the 
Mexicans  unless  they  began  first.  Everywhere  the 
people  fled  as  the  invaders  approached ;  but  within 
a  day  or  two  most  of  them  returned  and  found 
their  property  unharmed. 

Several  regiments  of  volunteers  had  been  added 
to  General  Taylor's  force  previous  to  the  departure 
from  Camargo,  and  the  regular  soldiers  took  great 
delight  in  playing  pranks  upon  them.  One  day  a 
volunteer  soldier  missed  a  book  that  he  was  reading, 
and  after  making  inquiries  throughout  his  regiment 
he  continued  them  among  some  regulars  who  were 
camped  near  him.  One  of  the  regulars  pointed  to 
General  Taylor's  tent,  and  said,  — 

"I  saw  an  old  fellow  in  that  tent  reading  a  book, 
and  I  guess  it  must  have  been  yours." 

The  volunteer  bent  his  steps  to  the  tent,  where 
he  found  "  an  old  fellow "  in  plain  clothes,  whom 
he  at  once  accosted  with,  — 

"Say,  old  chap,  you've  got  my  book,  and  I  want 
it." 

"  I  haven't  your  book,  my  man,"  was  the  reply. 

"Somebody  said  he  saw  you  reading  it;  and  I've 
come  to  get  it." 

With  that  the  soldier  proceeded  to  pull  off  his  coat, 
preliminary  to  a  fig-lit.  The  old  fellow  smiled,  and 
checked  the  proceeding  by  saying,  — 


92  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"  I'm  General  Taylor,  my  man ;  and  I  hope  you 
don't  think  I  would  steal  your  book." 

"Excuse  me,  General,"  said  the  soldier,  as  he  pulled 
his  coat  into  place  again ;  "  I  don't  suppose  a  gen- 
eral would  steal  books  or  anything  else.  I  didn't 
take  you  for  a  general,  seeing  you  don't  have  any 
brass-mounted  clothes  on.  I'll  know  better  when  I 
get  to  learn  the  ropes." 

The  general  enjoyed  the  joke,  and  used  to  tell  it 
with  much  gusto. 

During  the  presidential  campaign  in  which  Gen- 
eral Taylor  was  the  candidate  of  the  Whig  party,  the 
affidavit  of  an  Ohio  volunteer  was  published  by  the 
Democrats  to  the  effect  that  while  at  Camargo  Gen- 
eral Taylor  had  said  that  the  Ohio  volunteers  were 
a  set  of  cowards  and  would  run  from  the  enemy. 
The  story  had  the  faintest  shadow  of  a  foundation, 
which  is  not  always  the  case  with  campaign  yarns 
about  candidates.     The  circumstances  were  these  :  — 

General  Taylor  saw  a  soldier  seize  a  chicken,  and 
ordered  him  to  drop  it.  The  man  pretended  to  do  so. 
but  passed  the  chicken  behind  him,  and  into  the  hands 
of  a  comrade.     Thereupon  Taylor  thundered  out:  — 

"  Drop  that  chicken  !  Any  man  who  would  steal 
is  a  coward,  and  would  run  from  the  enemy." 

Grant  was  near  Taylor  at  the  time,  and  witnessed 
the    whole    affair.      When   the    campaign    story    came 


A   CAMPAIGN    STORY.  93 

out,  Grant  publicly  denied  it,  gave  the  facts  in  the 
case,  and  hinted  that  the  soldier  who  signed  the  af- 
fidavit was  probably  the  one  who  tried  to  steal  the 
chicken.  An  investigation  of  the  origin  of  the  story 
showed  that  this  was  actually  the  case. 


94  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  battle  of  Monterey.  —  Strength  and  organization  of  the  army. — 
Defenses  of  the  city.  —  Bishop's  palace. — Black  Fort.  —  Movements 
of  Worth's  Division.  —  Capture  of  the  Saltillo  Road.  —  Advance 
into  the  city. —  Grant  goes  for  ammunition. —  A  perilous  ride. —  General 
Ampudia  surrenders.  —  Hoffman's  verses  on  "  Monterey."  —  Men  who 
became  famous.  —  Characteristics  of  General  Taylor.  —  His  hatred  of 
uniform.  —  An  amusing  incident.  —  An  armistice.  —  Scott's  plans  for 
the  war.  —  Grant  goes  to  Vera  Cruz.  —  Battle  of  Buena  Vista. 

On  the  19th  of  September,  General  Taylor's  army- 
was  at  Walnut  Springs,  within  three  miles  of  Mon- 
terey. Between  Walnut  Springs  and  the  city  there 
is  a  broad  plain.  Close  to  the  city,  on  this  plain, 
there  was  a  fort  for  defending  the  approach.  The 
soldiers  gave  it  the  name  of  Black  Fort  on  account 
of  its  color.  On  the  north  and  north-west,  the 
city  was  defended  by  the  Bishop's  Palace,  a  fortress 
of  considerable  strength;  and  this  fort  also  covered 
the  road  to  Saltillo  on  the  west  end  of  the  city. 
The  eastern  end  was  defended  by  some  small  in- 
trenchments  which  had  been  hastily  thrown  up,  and 
an  observation  showed  that  they  were  well  manned 
and  ready  for  fighting.  In  the  center  of  the  city 
was  the  usual  plaza  or  public  square ;  and  this  was 
strongly    defended     by     artillery,     which     swept    the 


ATTACKING   BUENA   VISTA.  95 

streets  in  every  direction.  General  Ampudia  was  in 
command  of  the  Mexican  army,  which  numbered  fully 
ten  thousand  men.  General  Taylor's  force  was  about 
sixty-five  hundred  strong,  in  three  divisions,  under 
Generals  Twiggs,  Butler,  and  Worth. 

While  the  troops  were  resting  and  getting  in  readi- 
ness at  Walnut  Springs,  General  Taylor,  with  the  en- 
gineer officers,  made  a  careful  reconnaissance.  After 
a  thorough  study  of  the  city,  the}r  found  that  it 
would  be  possible  to  get  around  to  the  Saltillo  Road 
without  bringing  the  troops  in  range  of  the  forts. 
General  Taylor  sent  General  Worth  with  his  divis- 
ion to  take  possession  of  the  Saltillo  Road  and  the 
works  in  its  vicinit}\  The  rest  of  the  troops  were 
drawn  up  as  if  to  attack  the  north  and  east  sides  of 
the  city.  General  Worth's  movement  was  the  real 
attack,  and  the  others  were  simply  to  support  it. 

General  Worth  began  his  movement  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  20th  of  September.  He  met  no  opposi- 
tion, and  spent  the  night  in  a  good  position  on  the 
hills  north-west  of  Monterey.  During  the  night, 
General  Taylor  planned  an  attack  upon  the  Black 
Fort.  A  battery  was  placed  on  the  crest  of  the 
ridge  near  it,  and  the  Fourth  Infantry  was  standing 
just  below  the  ridge  to  support  the  battery  in  case 
of  assault. 

Lieutenant    Grant   was   left  at   Walnut   Springs    in 


96  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

charge  of  tiie  regimental  property ;  but  when  the 
fight  began  in  the  morning,  he  mounted  his  horse, 
and  joined  his  regiment.  Just  as  he  reached  it,  the 
order  was  given  to  charge.  He  had  no  business  in 
the  charge,  as  he  was  at  that  time  quartermaster,  and 
quartermasters  are  not  supposed  to  fight.  But  he 
hadn't  the  moral  courage  to  stay  behind,  and  so  he 
charged  with  the  rest.  About  one  third  of  the  men 
engaged  in  the  movement  were  wounded  or  killed  in 
less  than  twenty  minutes,  and  then  the  order  to 
retreat  was  given. 

The  movement  of  General  Worth  on  the  north, 
and  also  the  advance  on  the  east  of  the  town,  were 
successful,  to  the  extent  that  by  the  end  of  the  day 
(the  21st)  the  Bishop's  Palace  had  been  taken,  and 
Monterey  was  completely  invested  by  the  Americans. 
Very  little  was  done  on  the  22d.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  city  during  the  night  of  the  21st,  Black 
Fort  and  the  other  batteries  were  captured,  and  the 
east  end  of  Monterey  was  indisputably  in  American 
hands. 

The  Third  and  Fourth  regiments  of  infantry  made 
an  advance  into  the  city,  and  suffered  heavy  losses, 
the  most  of  them  caused  by  the  firing  of  the  soldiers 
from  the  house-tops.  When  they  were  within  a 
block  or  two  of  the  plaza,  they  came  to  a  halt, 
where  they  sheltered  themselves  as  much  as  possible 


Battle  of  Buena  Vista,  1847. 


grant's  dangerous  ride.  97 

against  the  houses,  and  watched  for  Mexican  heads 
rising  above  the  sand-bags.  Whenever  a  head  was 
shown,  it  was  sure  to  bring  a  volley  of  shots  from 
the  Americans. 

In  making  their  progress  towards  the  plaza,  the 
infantry  used  up  most  of  their  ammunition ;  and  Col- 
onel Garland,  who  commanded  the  advance,  wished 
to  send  a  messenger  to  General  Taylor  asking  for  a 
fresh  supply.  As  the  mission  Avas  a  very  dangerous 
one,  he  did  not  like  to  order  any  one  to  carry  the 
message,  and  therefore  called  for  a  volunteer.  Lieu- 
tenant Grant  at  once  said  he  would  go,  and  his  offer 
was  accepted. 

Grant  fully  realized  the  dangerous  ride  he  was 
about  to  make.  He  adjusted  himself  on  the  side  of 
the  horse  farthest  away  from  the  enemy;  and  with 
one  foot  clinging  to  the  cantel  of  the  saddle,  and  one 
arm  around  the  neck  of  the  horse,  he  started  on  a 
full  run.  He  was  fired  at  many  times,  and  a  shell 
exploded  close  to  him ;  but  he  finished  his  ride  with- 
out injury  either  to  himself  or  the  horse.  Before 
the  ammunition  could  be  brought  up,  the  regiments 
for  which  it  was  intended  had  been  forced  to  retire ; 
and  fortunately  their  losses  were  much  less  when 
coming  out  than  in  going  in. 

While  this  was  going  on  at  the  eastern  side  of  the 
city,   General  Worth  with  a    small  division  of    troops 


98  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

was  making  his  way  to  the  plaza  on  the  other  side. 
Instead  of  marching  through  the  streets,  he  adopted 
the  plan  of  cutting  his  way  through  the  houses.  He 
had  very  little  loss  of  life,  and  did  not  stop  opera- 
tions during  the  night.  In  the  morning,  he  was  so 
near  the  plaza  that  General  Ampudia  realized  the 
hopelessness  of  further  defense,  and  proposed  terms 
of  surrender.  Fighting  ceased  at  once ;  and  the  sur- 
render was  soon  arranged,  the  troops  being  paroled 
and  allowed  to  take  away  their  personal  property.* 

Shortly  after  the  capture  of  Monterey,  the  fol- 
lowing verses  were  written  by  Charles  Fenno  Hoff- 
man. They  were  very  popular  at  the  time  of  their 
publication,  and  a  great  favorite  of  General  Grant. 
They  found  their  way  into  the  school-readers  of  that 
period ;  and  many  a  gray -haired  man  of  the  present 
time  has  used  these  verses  as  a  recitation  piece  in 
his  schoolboy  days. 

"We  were  not  many  —  we  who  stood 

Before  the  iron  sleet  that  day  ; 
Yet  many  a  gallant  spirit  would 
Give  half  his  years  if  he  but  could 

Have  been  with  us  at  Monterey. 

Now  here,  now  there,  the  shot  it  hailed 

In  deadly  drifts  of  fiery  spray  ; 
Yet  not  a  single  soldier  quailed 
When  wounded  comrades  round  them  walled 

Their  dying  shouts  at  Monterey. 


"  MONTEREY."  99 

And  on,  still  on,  our  columns  kept, 

Through  walls  of  flame,  its  withering  way  ; 

Where  fell  the  dead,  the  living  stept, 

Still  charging  on  the  guns  that  swept 
The  slippery  streets  of  Monterey. 

The  foe  himself  recoiled  aghast 

When,  striking  where  he  strongest  lay, 
We  swooped  his  flanking  batteries  past, 
And,  braving  full  their  murderous  blast, 
Stormed  home  the  towers  of  Monterey. 

Our  banners  on  those  turrents  wave, 

And  there  our  evening  bugles  play, 
Where  orange-boughs  above  their  grave 
Keep  green  the  memory  of  the  brave 

Who  fought  and  fell  at  Monterey. 

We  were  not  many  —  we  who  pressed 

Beside  the  brave  who  fell  that  day  ; 
But  who  of  us  hath  not  confessed 
He'd  rather  share  their  warrior  rest 

Than  not  have  been  at  Monterey?" 

The  American  loss  during  the  battle  was  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  killed,  and  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  wounded.  By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  loss 
was  the  result  of  injudicious  attacks  upon  strong  po- 
sitions. 

In  the  battle  of  Monterey  there  was  a  consider- 
able number  of  officers  in  addition  to  Lieutenant 
Grant  who  became  generals  on  one  side  or  the  other 
during  the  Civil  War.  One  of  them  was  Lieut. 
George  G.    Meade,    who    afterwards    commanded    the 


100  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

National  Army  at  Gettysburg.  He  was  in  General 
Worth's  command,  and  made  the  reconnaissance  of 
the  Saltillo  Road  on  the  night  of  the  20th  of  Sep- 
tember. Col.  Jefferson  Davis,  who  became  President 
of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  was  at  Monterey  in  com- 
mand of  the  First  Mississippi  Rifles ;  Major  Mansfield, 
who  was  a  general  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, 
was  in  General  Worth's  division  at  Monterey ;  and 
there  were  also  engaged  in  the  battle  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Garland  and  Colonel  Quitman,  both  of  whom 
became  generals  in  the  Confederacy. 

General  Taylor  is  described  as  a  man  of  great  abil- 
ity and  strength  of  character,  and  he  was  beloved 
and  admired  by  all  who  served  under  him.  Every 
move  which  he  made  was  carefully  considered  before- 
hand, and  he  never  subjected  his  men  to  needless  ex- 
posure. He  was  modest  and  unassuming  in  manner, 
and  had  a  great  aversion  to  wearing  a  uniform ;  in 
fact,  he  never  put  it  on  except  at  a  review  or  some 
other  occasion  when  it  was  considered  indispensable. 
He  went  about  camp  in  the  ordinary  dress  of  a  far- 
mer. But  he  was  known  by  sig-ht  to  all  the  soldiers, 
and  invariably  returned  their  salutes. 

Some  interesting  stories  are  told  concerning  his 
avoidance  of  uniform,  and  among  them  is  the  follow- 
ing :  — 

While  General  Taylor  was  at  Matamoras,  previous 


"  DON   PATRTCTO   MILMO."  101 

to  the  advance  into  Mexico,  he  received  notice 
that  the  flag-officer  of  the  fleet  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river  would  pay  him  a  visit  on  a  certain  day.  When 
the  time  came  for  the  visit,  Taylor  reluctantly  donned 
his  uniform.  He  knew  that  the  officers  of  the 
navy  were  accustomed  to  wear  their  uniforms  on 
ever}r  possible  occasion,  and  therefore  argued  with 
himself  that  the  flag-officer  would  be  dressed  in  all 
the  fine  clothes  he  could  put  on.  It  happened,  how- 
ever, that  the  flag-officer,  having  heard  of  Taylor's 
dislike  for  uniform,  came  in  civilian  dress.  The  inter- 
view was,  of  course,  very  embarrassing  to  both  of  them, 
and  the  conversation  consisted  chiefly  of  apologies. 

After  the  surrender  of  Monterey,  a  cessation  of 
hostilities  was  arranged  between  the  Mexican  and 
American  commanders  to  continue  for  eight  weeks. 
During  that  time,  and  afterwards,  the  army  lay  idle 
in  Monterey;  and  the  officers  cultivated  the  acquain- 
tance of  the  people,  with  whom  they  fraternized  in 
the  most  friendly  way.  Some  of  the  soldiers  liked 
Monterey  so  well,  that  when  the  war  was  over  they 
returned  and  settled  there.  Among  them  was  an 
Irishman,  who  became  a  permanent  citizen  of  Mon- 
terey, married  one  of  its  fair  residents,  and  accumu- 
lated a  large  fortune.  His  name  when  he  went 
there  to  live  was  Patrick  Mullen ;  but  as  he  pros- 
pered and  grew  wealthy  it  was  changed  to  Don  Pa- 
tricio Milmo. 


102  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

The  Government  promised  General  Scott  all  the 
troops,  supplies,  ammunition,  and  other  war  material 
that  he  wanted ;  and  he  had  authority  to  take  from 
General  Taylor  whatever  troops  then  with  the  latter 
that  lie  might  desire.  He  proceeded  at  once  to  Mexico, 
going  first  to  the  Rio  Grande,  where  he  hoped  to 
meet  General  Taylor,  and  discuss  with  him  the  meas- 
ures to  be  taken  for  the  conquest  of  Mexico.  Fail- 
ing to  meet  General  Taylor,  who  was  then  absent 
on  an  expedition  to  Tampico,  General  Scott  was 
compelled  to  make  his  own  selection  from  Taylor's 
forces,  instead  of  leaving  it  to  General  Taylor  himself. 

Among  the  troops  which  General  Scott  designated 
to  be  sent  to  Vera  Cruz  was  the  Fourth  Infantry, 
and  of  course  Lieutenant  Grant  went  with  it.  The 
landing  was  made  inside  of  a  small  island,  about 
three  miles  south  of  Vera  Cruz.  It  was  impossible 
for  the  ships  to  go  near  the  shore,  and  so  everything 
had  to  be  landed  in  surf-boats.  It  was  much  easier 
to  land  the  troops  than  the  stores,  as  the  men  jumped 
out  of  the  boats  and  waded  ashore ;  while  every- 
thing that  would  be  injured  by  salt  water  required 
to  be  handled  carefully.  Vera  Cruz  was  then  a 
walled  city,  but  its  walls  were  not  very  strong;  they 
were  entirely  removed  in  1880  to  allow  the  expan- 
sion of  the  city,  and  also  because  of  their  useless- 
ness    against   modern    artillery.      The    invading    army 


CAPTURE  OF  VERA  CRUZ.  108 

proceeded  to  invest  the  city,  placing  batteries  all 
around  it ;  and  when  everything  was  ready,  they 
began  their  attack. 

By  the  27th  of  March  they  had  made  a  consid- 
erable breach  in  the  wall  surrounding  it,  and  were 
preparing  to  make  an  assault ;  thereupon  General 
Morales,  who  commanded  the  city  and  the  fort  San 
Juan  d'Ulloa,  opened  a  correspondence  with  General 
Scott,  which  resulted  in  the  surrender  of  five  thou- 
sand prisoners,  and  the  capture  of  four  hundred  pieces 
of  artillery,  and  a  great  quantity  of  small  arms,  am- 
munition, and  military  stores.  The  loss  of  the 
Americans  during  the  siege  amounted  altogether  to 
sixty-four  officers  and  men  killed  and  wounded. 

We  will  leave  General  Scott  to  prepare  for  his 
march  into  the  interior  of  Mexico,  and  go  back  tem- 
porarily to  Monterey  and  General  Taylor. 

Failing  to  meet  Taylor  at  the  Rio  Grande,  Gen- 
eral Scott  sent  to  the  latter  his  plan  of  operation  ; 
the  courier  who  carried  the  letter  was  captured,  and 
the  letter  fell  into  Mexican  hands.  General  Santa 
Anna  thus  learned  what  line  Scott  intended  to  fol- 
low, and  furthermore,  that  he  would  take  away  about 
five  thousand  of  Taylor's  troops,  including  all  the 
regulars.  On  learning  this,  Santa  Anna  determined 
to  strike  his  enemies  in  detail  ;  first  he  would  de- 
stroy Taylor's  army,  and  then  proceed  to  attack  and 
destroy  Scott. 


104  BOYS*    LIFE  OF   GENERAL   GRANT. 

In  February,  1847,  General  Santa  Anna,  with  nearly 
twenty  thousand  men,  •  marched  upon  Taylor,  who 
had  taken  a  strong  position  in  a  mountain-pass  at 
Buena  Vista,  to  the  south  of  Monterey ;  Santa  Anna 
sent  a  flag  of  truce  demanding  Taylor's  surrender 
within  one  hour,  and  received  the  historic  reply,  "  Gen- 
eral Taylor  never  surrenders ! "  Early  next  morning 
the  Mexicans  advanced,  and  the  battle  became  des- 
perate ;  twenty  thousand  Mexicans  against  four  thou- 
sand Americans,  all  of  the  latter  being  volunteers, 
of  whom  very  few  had  been  under  fire. 

The  battle  was  hard  fought,  and  on  more  than 
one  occasion  it  seemed  as  though  victory  was  about 
to  perch  on  the  Mexican  banners.  At  one  critical 
moment  General  Taylor  was  standing  near  the  bat- 
tery of  Captain  Bragg ;  the  Mexicans  charged  upon 
it,  and  Bragg  loaded  his  guns  with  grapeshot,  which 
he  poured  into  the  Mexicans  when  they  were  within 
twenty  feet  of  the  muzzle  of  the  cannon.  The  ter- 
rible fire  checked  them ;  and  as  it  did  so  General 
Taylor  called  out,  "Give  them  a  little  more  grape, 
Captain  Bragg ! " 

This  phrase  became  historic,  and  soon  was  widely 
known  throughout  the  country.  It  was  often  quoted 
as  an  indication  of  the  coolness  under  exciting  cir- 
cumstances of  "  Old  Rough  and  Ready,"  as  General 
Taylor  was  called. 


BATTLE   OF   BUENA   VISTA.  105 

Captain  Bragg's  grape  turned  the  tide  of  battle. 
The  enemy  broke  and  fled,  though  fighting  contin- 
ued in  several  parts  of  the  field  until  night.  The 
Americans  bivouacked  on  the  field,  and  expected  to 
renew  the  fight  next  morning ;  but  under  cover  of 
the  darkness  Santa  Anna  retired. 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  in  killed  and  wounded 
was  nine  hundred  and  forty-six,  while  the  Mexicans 
lost  about  two  thousand.  The  sanguinary  nature  of 
the  battle  can  be  realized  by  observing  that  the 
American  loss  was  almost  one-fifth  of  the  whole  num- 
ber engaged. 

On  the  night  after  the  battle,  while  the  troops 
were  anxiously  waiting  for  the  morrow,  General  Tay- 
lor sent  for  his  division  commanders,  in  order  to  have 
a  consultation.  General  Worth  was  the  first  to 
arrive,  and  was  evidently  very  anxious  as  to  the 
result.  "  Do  you  think  we  can  whip  them  ? "  was 
his  first  question,  after  the  ceremony  of  hand-shaking 
was  over. 

"  Whip  them  !  "  exclaimed  Taylor ;  "  we  haven't 
begun  to  fight  yet.  If  we  all  hang  together,  we'll 
whip  them  out  of  their  boots." 

"Well,"  answered  Worth,  greatly  encouraged  by 
the  words  of  his  chief,  "  we'll  hang  together,  of 
course,  until  we  do  whip  them;  and  if  they  whip 
us,  we'll  probably  hang  together  all  the  same." 


106  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

During  the  battle,  owing  to  a  mistake  in  the  de- 
livery of  an  order,  the  Second  Indiana  Infantry  left 
the  field  and  marched  to  the  rear,  but  immediately 
returned  to  the  righting  as  soon  as  the  mistake  be- 
came known.  This  gave  rise  to  many  slanders  upon 
the  regiment,  and  caused  much  indignation  among 
its  officers  and  men.  In  1861,  when  the  Second  In- 
diana Infantry  was  organized  for  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  it  was  drawn  up  in  line  in  front  of  the 
State  House  at  Indianapolis  to  receive  its  colors. 
Its  colonel  (afterwards  major-general),  Lew  Wallace, 
ordered  the  men  to  kneel  as  the  colors  were  pre- 
sented, and  swear  a  solemn  oath  to  wipe  out  the 
stigma  that  rested  on  their  regimental  name. 

The  oath  was  taken  amid  the  most  profound  si- 
lence on  the  part  of  the  assembled  multitude;  and 
then  as  the  regiment  rose  and  marched  away  the 
cheering  was  long  and  loud.  Nobly  did  the  regi- 
ment redeem  its  name ;  none  showed  greater  bra- 
very or  bore  itself  more  grandly  in  the  many  battles 
in  which  it  was  engaged  than  the  Second  Indiana 
Infantry.  General  Wallace  served  as  a  lieutenant  of 
the  First  Indiana  Infantry  during  the  Mexican  War, 
and  was  with  his  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Buena 
Vista. 


MARCH    FROM    VERA    CRUZ.  107 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

March  from  Vera  Cruz.  —  Meeting  the  enemy.  —  Battle  of  Cerro  Gordo. 

—  Scott's  plan  of  battle.  —  "Always  obey  your  superior  officer."  — 
Advance  to  Perote  and  Puebla.  —  A  long  wait  for  reinforcements.— 
Advance  into  the  valley  of  Mexico.  — Battles  of  Contreras  and  Chur- 
ubusco.  —  Attack  upon  the  city.  —  Grant's  exploit  at  Molino  del  Rey. 

—  In  a  church  belfry  with  a  howitzer.  —  Grant's  memory.  —  Capture 
of  the  city.  —  Declaration  of  peace. 

After  capturing  Vera  Cruz,  General  Scott  began 
his  preparations  for  the  march  to  the  City  of  Mexico. 
Twelve  thousand  was  a  very  small  army  with  which 
to  invade  a  country  with  a  population  of  eight  or 
nine  millions,  which  was  to  be  penetrated  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  miles  from  the  sea.  At  the  end  of 
that  distance  the  capital  city  with  a  population  of 
one  hundred  thousand  was  to  be  besieged  and  cap- 
tured. Scott's  army  was  in  three  divisions,  under 
Generals  Twiggs,  Patterson,  and  Worth.  Twiggs's 
division  got  away  on  the  8th  of  April,  Patterson's 
followed  on  the  10th,  and  Worth's,  in  which  was  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  left  Vera  Cruz  on  the  13th.  Twiggs's 
division  ran  against  the  enemy  at  Cerro  Gordo,  fifty 
miles  west  of  Vera  Cruz;  and  as  soon  as  they  ascer- 
tained   the    whereabouts    of    the    Mexicans,    the   divis- 


108  boys'  life  or  general  grant. 

ion  went  into  camp,  and  waited  for  the  others  to 
come  up.  General  Scott  was  still  at  Vera  Cruz, 
awaiting  the  departure  of  the  last  division ;  but  im- 
mediately on  hearing  of  the  position  of  the  Mexicans, 
he  hurried  forward  and  began  his  preparations  for 
capturing  Santa  Anna  and  his  army. 

It  is  said  there  was  not  a  battle  in  the  Mexican 
War,  and  very  few  battles  in  any  war,  where  the 
orders  issued  before  the  engagement  were  so  nearly 
a  correct  report  of  what  took  place.  The  time  for 
each  movement  had  been  calculated  very  closely,  and 
in  many  instances  to  the  very  minute.  Divisions  and 
brigades  moved  in  different  directions,  and  came  to- 
gether at  the  exact  times  and  places  designed  by 
the  commander-in-chief.  The  engineers  had  led  the 
way,  and  the  troops  followed ;  in  some  places  the 
slope  was  so  steep  that  the  artillery  was  let  down 
by  hand  by  means  of  ropes  on  one  side  of  the  chasm, 
and  drawn  by  hand  up  the  other  side.  In  this  way 
the  troops  reached  their  assigned  positions  in  the 
rear  of  the  enemy's  intrenchments  quite  unobserved. 
When  the  signal  was  given  and  the  advance  was 
made,  the  Mexicans  surrendered.  There  was  some 
fighting  on  other  parts  of  the  field,  in  which  there  were 
losses  on  both  sides.  Three  thousand  prisoners  were 
taken,  and  a  large  amount  of  military  stores.  The 
Americans  lost   in  killed  and  wounded  four  hundred 


OBEYING    ORDERS.  109 

thirty-one  officers  and  men.  General  Santa  Anna 
escaped  on  the  back  of  a  mule.  His  carriage  and 
personal  baggage  were  captured,  but  were  returned  by 
General  Scott. 

After  the  orders  for  the  battle  had  been  issued, 
the  colonel  of  a  volunteer  regiment  came  to  Gen- 
eral Scott  to  complain  of  the  part  that  had  been  as- 
signed to  him  in  the  coming  affair.  "  The  order  I 
have  received,"  said  he,  '"is  absurd,  and  will  render 
my  regiment  liable  to  be  annihilated.  I  come  to  you, 
General  Scott,  as  the  commander-in-chief,  to  know 
what  I  shall  do  about  obeying  it." 

"  Always  obey  your  superior  officer,"  replied  the 
general. 

"  But  look  at  this  order,  General,  and  see  where 
it  will  put  me." 

General  Scott  scanned  the  paper ;  and  as  he  re- 
turned it  to  the  colonel,  he  remarked,  — 

"  That  is  all  right ;  obey  your  superior  officer  al- 
ways." 

"  But  suppose  he  orders  me  to  jump  out  of  a  fourth- 
story  window  ;  shall  I  do  it  ?  " 

"Certainly,"  responded  the  general;  "do  it  with- 
out hesitation.  He  will  have  made  preparations  for 
catching  }rou  when  you  reach  the  ground." 

Shortly  after  this  battle  the  army  advanced  to 
Jalapa,  and    then    to    Perote   and  Puebla,  where    Gen- 


110  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

eral  Scott  waited  from  May  until  August  for  rein- 
forcements, which  were  slow  in  arriving.  When  they 
came,  the  army  advanced  over  the  Rio  Frio  Moun- 
tain, the  highest  point  on  the  road  being  about 
11,000  feet  above  sea-level.  From  this  mountain  the 
soldiers  looked  down  on  the  great  basin,  or  valley, 
in  which  the  city  of  Mexico  stands.  Between  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  and  the  capital  city,  there  are 
three  lakes ;  and  between  two  of  them,  there  is  a 
narrow  strip  of  land  over  which  the  road  to  the 
city  runs. 

General  Garland's  brigade  of  Worth's  division,  the 
brigade  to  which  the  Fourth  Infantry  was  attached, 
was  sent  to  San  Antonio,  near  the  village  of  Churu- 
busco,  on  the  road  to  Mexico,  and  ten  or  twelve 
miles  from  it.  During  the  day  and  night  of  Aug. 
19,  the  engineer  officers  completed  roads  by  which 
the  American  troops  were  got  around  to  the  north 
and  west  of  the  Mexican  positions.  One  of  the 
strongest  of  these  positions  was  at  Contreras,  a  forti- 
fied hill ;  and  operations  were  directed  towards  that 
point.  Garland's  brigade  was  kept  in  position  at 
San  Antonio,  while  the  attack,  was  made  on  Contre- 
ras on  the  morning  of  the  20th.  Half  an  hour  after 
the  order  to  advance  was  given,  Contreras  was  in  the 
hands  of  the  Americans,  with  all  its  artillery  and 
military  supplies ;  and  when   this    point    was    secured, 


MOLINO  del  key.  Ill 

orders  came  for  Garland's  brigade  to  advance  upon 
San  Antonio  and  Churubusco.  The  advance  upon 
San  Antonio  was  practically  unopposed,  as  the  Mexi- 
cans fled  when  they  saw  that  Contreras  was  lost  to 
them. 

Somewhat  contrary  to  General  Scott's  expectation, 
the  Mexicans  made  a  stand  at  Churubusco;  they 
held  their  position  and  did  some  hard  lighting,  so 
that  the  American  troops,  and  especially  General 
Shields's  brigade,  suffered  heavily.  Some  of  the  gun- 
ners who  stood  their  ground  to  the  very  last  were 
deserters  from  General  Taylor's  army  in  Northern 
Mexico. 

A  truce  was  agreed  upon;  and  it  lasted  until  Sept. 
4,  when  hostilities  were  resumed.  General  Scott  was 
then  with  Worth's  division,  which  was  occupying 
Tacubuya,  about  four  miles  south-west  of  the  city. 
Not  far  from  it  was  Molino  del  Rey  ("  Mill  of  the 
King "),  a  long  stone  building,  one  story  high,  and 
used  as  a  storehouse  for  grain.  Nearer  to  the  city 
is  Chapultepec,  a  long  mound  about  three  hundred 
feet  high,  which  was  fortified  on  the  top  and  on 
both  sides.  From  Chapultepec  to  the  city  there  is  a 
stone  aqueduct  built  on  arches,  that  supplies  water 
to  the  capital ;  and  there  is  a  similar  aqueduct 
which  receives  its  water  from  a  mountain  stream 
close    to    Molino    del    Rey.     One   aqueduct  enters  the 


112  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

city  by  the  San  Cosme  gate,  and  the  other  by  the 
Belem  gate.  There  were  strong  fortifications  at  both 
the  gates,  while  at  intervals  along  the  aqueduct 
parapets  had  been  thrown  up  to  facilitate  the  defense 
of  the  city. 

Naturally  the  first  point  of  attack  was  Molino  del 
Rey ;  and  the  assault  upon  it  was  made  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  8th  of  September.  When  the  troops  were 
drawn  up,  and  everything  was  in  readiness,  a  single 
charge  was  made,  and  the  enemy,  after  firing  a  few 
shots,  broke  and  ran  towards  Chapultepec.  Lieuten- 
ant Grant  was  one  of  the  first  to  enter  the  mill.  As 
he  was  watching  the  fleeing  enemy,  he  happened  to 
look  up,  and  noticed  that  there  were  still  many  of 
them  on  the  top  of  the  building.  He  gathered  some 
of  the  soldiers  of  his  command,  and  ordered  an 
empty  cart  turned  up  against  the  side  of  the  mill. 
This  cart  he  used  as  a  ladder  to  climb  up  to  the 
roof. 

When  he  got  there  he  found  that  a  private  soldier 
had  got  in  ahead  of  him,  and  captured  the  whole 
party,  including  a  major  and  five  or  six  officers  of 
lower  grades.  All  the  Mexicans  still  had  their  weap- 
ons with  them.  While  the  one  American  soldier  was 
guarding  them,  he  told  Lieutenant  Grant  that  he 
had  "surrounded  them  all  by  himself."  The  Lieu- 
tenant immediately  received  the   swords  of  the   com- 


BATTLE   OF   THE   ARCHES.  113 

missioned  officers,  and,  with  the  aid  of  the  soldiers 
who  accompanied  him,  broke  up  all  the  muskets  by 
striking  them  over  the  edge  of  the  wall. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  if  the  capture  of  Molino 
del  Rey  had  been  followed  up  by  an  attack  on  Cha- 
pultepec,  and  the  San  Cosme  and  Belem  gates,  the 
city  could  have  been  taken  with  ease ;  but  such  was 
not  the  case,  and  consequently  there  was  more  loss 
of  life  in  taking  these  positions  several   days  after. 

The  bombardment  of  Chapultepec  began  on  the 
morning  of  the  12th ;  and  on  the  13th  the  hill  was 
stormed  and  captured.  After  the  fall  of  Chapultepec 
the  advance  began  along  the  two  aqueduct  roads ; 
General  Worth  commanding  the  attack  on  San  Cosme, 
and  General  Quitman  that  against  Belem  gate. 
Lieutenant  Grant  was  on  the  San  Cosme  road,  and 
was  present  throughout  the  entire  engagement.  The 
troops  found  the  arches  very  useful  in  making  their 
advance ;  they  went  forward  an  arch  at  the  time, 
halted  until  they  had  taken  breath,  and  then  got 
ready  for  another  arch.  Dodging  in  this  way,  they 
got  along  pretty  well,  keeping  a  close  watch  on  the 
intrenchments,  and  firing  at  every  head  that  showed 
itself  above  the  parapets.  The  Mexicans  fled  from 
the  parapets  as  soon  as  the  Americans  came  within 
shooting    distance. 

While     reconnoitering    the     ground    at    one    place, 


114  boys'  life   of  general  grant. 

Lieutenant  Grant  found  a  church  on  one  side  of  the 
road ;  and  it  occurred  to  him  that  the  belfry  might 
command  the  ground  inside  the  San  Cosme  gate. 
He  got  an  officer  of  the  voltigeurs  with  a  mounted 
howitzer  and  the  men  to  work  it  to  go  with  him 
and  his  infantry.  As  the  enemy  had  possession  of 
the  road,  they  were  compelled  to  go  around  through 
the  fields,  which  obliged  them  to  cross  several  ditches 
breast  high  with  water.  They  got  to  the  church, 
however,  and  were  met  by  the  priest,  who  told  them 
they  could  not  enter.  They  explained  to  him  that  he 
might  save  property  by  opening  the  door,  and  said 
that  they  would  go  in  whether  he  would  admit  them 
or  not.  Finally  he  opened  the  door ;  and  they 
mounted  to  the  belfry  with  the  howitzer,  which  they 
hastily  put  together,  it  having  been  taken  in  pieces 
in  order  to  carry  it.  Then  they  opened  fire  on  the 
troops  inside  the  San  Cosme  gate,  and  created  a 
great  confusion. 

General  Worth  observed  the  effect  of  the  howitzer, 
and  was  so  pleased  with  it  that  ho  sent  one  of  the 
staff,  Lieutenant  Pemberton  (who  was  afterwards  a 
lieutenant-general  in  the  Confederacy),  to  bring  Lieu- 
tenant Grant  to  him.  He  said  the  howitzer  in  the 
church  steeple  was  doing  great  service,  and  ordered 
a  captain  of  voltigeurs  to  report  to  Grant  with 
another  howitzer   for    a    similar  service.     The   fact  is, 


THE    HOWITZER    IN    THE    BELFRY.  115 

there  was  not  room  enough  in  the  steeple  for 
another  gun ;  but  etiquette  forbade  the  young  lieu- 
tenant to  say  so  to  his  superior  officer.  He  saluted 
and    took    the    captain,  but  did  not  use  the  howitzer. 

Eighteen  years  afterwards,  when  General  Grant  was 
commander-in-chief  of  the  armies  engaged  in  crush- 
ing the  Rebellion,  and  was  actively  pushing  in  the 
direction  of  Richmond,  the  colonel  of  a  Pennsylva- 
nia regiment  came  to  him  one  day  to  make  a  report 
which  had  to  be  made  in  person.  When  his  duty  had 
been  performed,  he  saluted,  and  was  about  to  retire, 
when  the  general  said,  — 

"  Colonel,  haven't  I  met  you  before  ?  " 

"  Yes,  General,"  was  the  reply ;  "  and  I  think 
you'll  remember  the  incident.  I  was  the  sergeant 
with  the  howitzer  that  you  took  into  the  belfry  of 
a  church  near  the  San  Cosme  gate  of  the  city  of 
Mexico." 

"  We  shook  the  Mexicans  up  very  lively,  didn't 
we?"  said  the  general  as  he  seized  the  colonel's 
hand  and  shook  it  warmly.  Then  he  added,  "  Take 
a  chair." 

The  colonel  obeyed,  and  for  half  an  hour  and  more 
the  conversation  was  wholly  devoted  to  the  Mexican 
War. 

By  the  evening  of  the  13th,  the  American  troops 
were  close  to  the  walls  of  the  city  at  the  San  Cosme 


116  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

and  Belen  gates ;  in  the  morning  it  was  found  that 
Santa  Anna  and  his  army  had  left  the  city,  and  the 
gates  were  undefended.  The  army  entered  the  gates 
amid  loud  cheering,  and  the  capital  of  the  Republic 
of  Mexico  was  in  the  hands  of  the  invaders.  The 
convicts  in  the  prisons  had  been  released,  and  there 
was  a  considerable  number  of  deserters  remaining  in 
the  city ;  when  our  troops  entered  they  were  fired 
upon  by  these  fellows,  and  possibly  by  some  of  the 
citizens.  Several  of  our  officers  and  soldiers  were 
struck  by  the  bullets,  some  of  them  fatally.  Among 
the  latter  was  Lieutenant  Smith  of  the  Fourth  Infan- 
try, who  died  a  few  days  later  ;  and  in  consequence 
of  his  death  second  Lieutenant  Grant  was  promoted 
to   the  grade  of  first  lieutenant. 

That  promotion  is  slow  in  the  army  is  illustrated 
by  the  experience  of  the  hero  of  our  story.  He  was 
commissioned  a  second  lieutenant  in  the  army  in 
1843 ;  he  entered  the  city  of  Mexico  four  years  later 
with  the  same  rank,  after  being  in  all  the  battles 
which  were  possible  for  one  man  during  that  war. 
His  regiment  had  lost  Heavily  in  commissioned  offi- 
cers, but  it  was  not  until  the  death  of  Lieutenant 
Smith  that   he    rose    to    the    rank    of    first   lieutenant. 

General  Scott  followed  the  troops  into  the  city, 
and,  according  to  his  custom,  made  as  much  display 
as  possible.     He  was  in  full  uniform,  wearing  every- 


ENTERING    THE    CITY    OP    MEXICO.  117 

thing  "  that  the  law  allowed ; "  and  he  required  his 
officers  to  follow  his  example.  Scott's  habits  in  re- 
gard to  uniform  were  just  the  reverse  of  those  of 
General  Taylor,  who,  as  before  stated,  disliked  wear- 
ing any  uniform  whatever.  In  consequence  of  their 
different  peculiarities,  General  Scott  received  the 
soubriquet  of  "  Old  Fuss  and  Feathers,"  while  Gen- 
eral Taylor  was  known  as  "  Old  Rough  and  Ready." 
It  was  a  wonder  that  General  Scott,  with  his  tall, 
commanding  figure,  was  not  fired  upon  as  he  entered 
the  city.  He  made  a  grand  parade  through  the  prin- 
cipal streets,  and  then  took  possession  of  the  famous 
building  known  as  "  The  Halls  of  the  Montezumas." 
After  the  capture  of  •  the  city  of  Mexico,  General 
Scott  issued  orders  for  the  government  of  the  con- 
quered city,  in  terms  which  assured  the  inhabitants 
that  they  were  not  to  be  despoiled  of  their  property. 
Everything  that  was  taken  for  the  army  or  for  in- 
dividuals was  paid  for,  and  no  marauding  of  any 
kind  was  allowed.  Taxes  were  levied  upon  the  cities 
and  states  of  Mexico  for  supporting  the  army,  and 
duties  were  collected  on  all  imports  at  the  ports 
opened  for  trade.  The  principal  cities  of  Mexico 
were  occupied  by  the  American  troops ;  and  this  state 
of  affairs  continued  until  peace  was  arranged  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1848,  and  the  army  retired  from  Mexico.  The 
terms  of  peace  were  that  the  Rio  Grande  should  be 


118  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  boundary  between  the  two  countries ;  the  dis- 
puted territory  between  the  Rio  Grande  and  the 
Nueces  was  ceded  to  Texas,  and  the  whole  of  New 
Mexico  and  Upper  California  became  the  property 
of  the  United  States.  In  return  for  this  addition  to 
its  territory,  the  United  States  paid  to  Mexico  the 
sum  of  fifteen    millions  of  dollars. 

While  the  army  waited  for  the  settlement  of  the 
terms  of  peace,  Lieutenant  Grant  went  with  some 
other  officers  to  visit  Popocatepetl,  the  great  volcano 
of  Mexico.  Owing  to  a  severe  storm,  he  did  not 
succeed  in  reaching  the  summit.  In  writing  of  this 
trip,  he  said  that  one  of  the  most  interesting  inci- 
dents was  the  experiences  of  a  mule  that  fell  from 
a  path  cut  in  the  mountain  on  one  side  of  a  deep 
and  narrow  valley.  The  animal  was  carrying  two 
sacks  of  barley,  and  mule  and  load  rolled  over  and 
over  acrain  to  the  rocks  at  the  bottom  of  the  val- 
le}r.  All  supposed  that  the  poor  beast  had  been 
dashed  to  death.  Imagine  their  surprise  when  the 
mule  subsequently  overtook  them  with  its  load,  and 
neither  of  them  much  the  worse  for  the  long  roll 
down  the  side  of  the  mountain. 


GRANT    AGAIN    PROMOTED.  119 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Prompted  again.  —  Favorably  mentioned  in  several  reports.  —  General 
Scott's  rattlesnake  story.  —  Grant  returns  to  the  United  States.  — 
Robbed  on  the  way.  —  Marries  Miss  Dent.  —  On  duty  at  Sackett's 
Harbor  and  Detroit.  —  The  first  baby.  —  "Tlie  Cicotte  mare."  — 
Quarrel  with  Zachary  Chandler.  —  Dog-fight  on  Grosse  Isle.  —  A  Son 
of  Temperance  and  an  Odd  Fellow.  —  Second  son  born.  — Mrs.  Grant 
returns  to  St.  Louis. 

Not  long  after  the  capture  of  the  city  of  Mexico, 
Lieutenant  Grant  was  promoted  to  a  brevet  captaincy, 
dating  from  the  day  of  the  entry  into  the  city.  His 
conduct  had  received  favorable  mention  in  the  offi- 
cial report  of  General  Worth,  and  his  action  of  pla- 
cing the  howitzer  in  the  belfry  of  the  church  was 
referred  to  in  the  reports  of  Major  Lee  and  Colonel 
Garland.  The  latter  spoke  of  him  as  "acquitting  him- 
self most  nobly  on  several  occasions  under  my  ob- 
servation." Capt.  Horace  Brooks  of  the  artillery 
gave  him  credit  for  helping  to  cany  a  strong  field- 
work,  and  turn  the  enemy's  right  after  an  obstinate 
resistance.  The  various  reports  in  his  favor  showed 
the  promotion  to  be  well-deserved. 

The  commander-in-chief  invited  all  the  general  of- 
ficers of  his  army  to  meet  him  at  dinner  one  even- 
ing  about   two    weeks    after   the    fall    of    the    capital 


120  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

of  Mexico.  Generals  Pillow  and  Worth  declined  the 
invitation  in  consequence  of  their  personal  hostility 
to  General  Scott ;  but  all  the  others  accepted.  In 
his  briefly  spoken  words  of  welcome,  General  Scott 
acknowledged  the  efficient  services  of  his  guests  in 
securing  the  success  of  the  campaign,  and  said  that 
there  were  few  instances  in  history  where  an  army 
had  successfully  prosecuted  an  aggressive  campaign 
into  a  hostile  country,  opposed  constantly  by  a  force 
double  its  own  strength.  Other  words  of  congratu- 
lation followed  from  the  lips  of  the  hero,  and  his 
was  the  only  formal  speech  of  the  evening. 

Conversation  and  story-telling  occupied  the  greater 
part  of  the  time ;  and  during  the  course  of  the  din- 
ner General  Twiggs  asked  General  Scott  to  tell  his 
rattlesnake  story.  The  general  smiled,  and  nodded 
assent.  He  said  he  had  told  the  story  many  times 
before,  and  was  afraid  that  it  might  not  be  new  to 
some  of  the  gentlemen  present ;  but  since  it  had  been 
called  for  by  General  Twiggs,  he  would  tell  it;  and 
he  did  tell  it,  with  emphasis. 

"  During  the  Florida  campaign,"  said  General  Scott, 
"  I  was  one  night  quartered  in  a  rough  building 
that  stood  upon  posts  that  raised  it  two  feet  or  more 
from  the  ground.  The  floor  was  open  in  many 
places ;  and  we  had  scarcely  made  preparations  for  a 
bivouac,    before    the    sound    of    rattling    from   below 


GENERAL    SCOTT'S    RATTLESNAKE    STORY.  121 

told  us  that  many  rattlesnakes  were  there.  We  sur- 
veyed them  with  a  light,  and  found  there  was  a 
goodly  battalion  of  them.  I  went  out  and  measur- 
ed with  my  eye  the  height  of  the  floor  from  the 
ground,  and  saw  at  once  that  it  was  beyond  reach 
by  about  two  inches  of  the  tallest  rattlesnake  ever 
known.  I  knew,  as  a  boy,  from  experiments,  that  the 
rattlesnake  never  jumped  or  darted,  only  stood  up 
as  high  as  he  could,  and  bit.  I  returned  and  told 
the  officers  that  it  was  perfectly  safe  to  sleep  on 
the  floor,  and  I  intended  to  do  it.  But  they  left  me 
alone  in  my  glory,  with  my  martial  cloak  around  me, 
—  a  temporary  Sir  John  Moore,  —  while  they  camped 
outside.  Indeed,  I  rather  enjoyed  the  discomfiture  of 
the  snakes  as  they  rattled  me  to  sleep  and  vainly 
tried  to  reach  the  holes  in  the  floor." 

After  the  Mexican  War  the  State  of  Louisiana 
gave  swords  of  honor  to  Generals  Scott,  Taylor,  and 
Twiggs,  the  scabbard  of  each  sword  bearing  an  in- 
scription appropriate  to  the  deeds  of  its  recipient. 
The  gentleman  who  designed  the  inscription  for  Gen- 
eral Scott's  sword  happened  to  meet  that  officer  one 
day  in  a  jewelry  store  in  New  York,  and  made  bold 
to  introduce  himself,  and  tell  what  he  had  done.  He 
added  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  know  how  the 
design  met  the  views  of  the  general  as  a  work  of 
art. 


122  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

The  general  assumed  an  air  of  majestic  dignity, 
and  said,  — 

"  Admirable  sir,  admirable.  But  there  was  a  slight 
mistake,  sir,  a  slight  mistake." 

"Indeed!    and    what  was    that?" 

"  The  inscription,  sir.  The  inscription  should  have 
been  on  the  blade,  sir.  On  the  blade,  sir ;  not  on 
the  scabbard.  The  scabbard  may  be  taken  from  us  ; 
the  blade  —  never  !  " 

Several  years  after  the  close  of  the  War  of  1812, 
Congress  voted  a  gold  medal  to  General  Scott.  The 
general  placed  it  for  safe  keeping  in  the  vault  of 
a  bank,  which  was  afterwards  robbed  by  an  expert 
burglar,  who  left  nothing  of  value  except  the  medal. 
The  burglar  was  captured,  and  during  his  trial  he 
said, — 

"  I  examined  that  medal  with  my  lantern,  and  well 
knew  its  value ;  but  I  scorned  to  take  from  the  sol- 
dier what  had  been  given  him  by  the  gratitude  of 
his    country." 

During  the  time  the  American  troops  remained  in 
Mexico  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  Grant  con- 
tinued to  act  as  quartermaster.  The  tradition  is  that 
he  showed  great  ability  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 
He  never  failed  to  keep  his  regiment  well  fed. 
When  the  army  was  making  the  hardest  of  marches, 
there    was   always   fresh    beef    waiting    for    his    regi- 


GRANT'S   MEXICAN    HOUSE.  123 

ment  when  it  went  into  camp.  He  was  famous  al- 
ways for  his  good  horsemanship;  and  he  had  a  very 
spirited  horse  that  no  one  else  could  ride. 

One  day  a  Mexican  gentleman  whom  he  knew  very 
well  asked  permission  to  ride  his  horse;  but  Grant 
hesitated  to  permit  him,  fearing  an  accident  might 
happen.  He  knew  that  the  Mexican  was  a  fair  rider, 
but  not  a  first-class  one ;  and  he  also  knew  that  it 
would  be  a  great  affront  to  him  to  be  refused.  So 
the  captain  consented,  but  very  unwillingly.  The 
Mexican  mounted  the  animal ;  but  before  he  had  gone 
more  than  a  block  or  two  he  was  thrown  from  the 
saddle,  and  instantly  killed. 

On  another  day,  Grant  went  to  see  Colonel  How- 
ard, who  commanded  the  castle  of  Chapultepec.  He 
rode  up  the  outside  slope  of  the  fortification,  and 
then  went  two  or  three  times  around  the  castle. 
Finding  no  place  to  hitch  his  horse,  he  rode  the  ani- 
mal down  the  long  and  steep  stone  stairs  that  led 
into  the  fort.  There  he  tied  the  steed,  and  made  his 
call  upon  the  officer. 

When  he  came  away  Colonel  Howard  came  out  to 
the  entrance  with  him ;  and  seeing  the  horse  stand- 
ing there,  he  said  to  Grant,  — 

"  Lieutenant,  how  did  you  manage  to  get  that 
horse  inside?" 

"  I  rode  him  in,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 


124  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"Well!"  said  the  colonel  in  a  tone  of  astonish- 
ment;   "how  are  you  to  get  him  out?" 

"  Why,  rifle  him  out.  of  course,"  said  Grant,  as  he 
sprang  upon  the  horse  and  turned  him  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  stone  steps.  The  animal  went  rapidly 
up  the  steps;  and  when  Grant  reached  the  top  he 
waved  his  hat  to  the  colonel,  and  disappeared  over 
the  breastworks. 

While  the  army  was  on  the  inarch  back  to  Vera 
Cruz,  Lieutenant  Grant  met  with  a  misfortune.  He 
had  about  one  thousand  dollars  of  Government 
money  in  his  trunk.  The  lock  became  broken,  and 
he  put  the  money  in  the  trunk  of  a  fellow  officer. 
One  night  this  trunk  was  broken  open  and  all  the 
money  it  contained  abstracted. 

The  lieutenant  reported  the  loss  with  an  affidavit 
as  to  how  it  happened,  and  supported  it  by  the  affi- 
davits of  several  other  officers.  A  bill  was  placed 
before  Congress  for  his  relief,  and  it  remained  there 
twelve  years.  In  1862,  when  Grant  had  captured 
Fort  Donelson  and  became  a  major-general,  Congress 
passed  the  bill  which  provided  that  one  thousand 
dollars  should  be  allowed  to  Lieutenant  Grant  in  the 
settlement  of  his  accounts  as  regimental  quartermas- 
ter of  the  Fourth  Infantry.  Even  then  the  bill  was 
not  passed  unanimously,  no  fewer  than  eight  sena- 
tors voting  against  it,  and  only  a  minority  of  them 
were  Democrats. 


GRANT    MARRIES   MISS    DENT.  125 

On  leaving  Mexico  the  Fourth  Infantry  went  to 
Pascagoula,  Miss.,  where  it  was  to  remain  during  the 
summer.  Grant  obtained  leave  for  four  months' 
absence.  He  went  first  to  St.  Louis  to  see  Miss 
Dent,  and  renew  his  protestations  of  devotion.  Per- 
haps they  did  not  need  any  verbal  renewal,  as  the 
two  had  corresponded  frequently  during  his  absence, 
but  he  "went  there  all  the  same." 

A  few  days  after  his  arrival,  he  was  married  to 
the  lady,  and  they  spent  their  honeymoon  in  visiting 
his  parents  and  relatives  in  Ohio.  During  Grant's 
absence  on  leave,  his  regiment  moved  to  Sackett's 
Harbor,  N.Y. ;  and  when  the  time  of  his  leave  had 
expired  he  rejoined  his  company  at  that  point.  It 
was  a  time  of  peace,  and  nothing  of  importance  oc- 
curred there. 

In  the  following  spring  the  regiment  was  ordered 
to  Detroit,  Mich. ;  and  there  Grant  spent  two  years 
in  the  humdrum  existence  of  a  military  barrack  in 
time  of  peace,  or,  to  be  more  exact  about  it,  he  spent 
there  all  the  time  when  he  was  on  duty.  All  the 
married  officers  lived  outside ;  and  Lieutenant  and 
Mrs.  Grant  began  their  first  experience  of  house- 
keeping at  Detroit.  He  paid  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  for  house-rent,  which  was  considered  a  high 
price  when  the  building  and  all  the  circumstances 
connected    with   it   were    considered.      There    was    a 


126  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

great  deal  of  visiting  among  the  officers  and  their 
families,  and  also  among  neighbors  and  friends.  The 
evenings  were  largely  devoted  to  social  calls  and 
games  of  dominoes,  chess,  and  other  simple  amuse- 
ments. Occasionally  there  was  a  visit  to  the  theatre; 
but  at  that  time  the  dramatic  attractions  of  Detroit 
were  not  of  the  highest  class,  and  traveling  com- 
panies were  by  no  means  as  numerous  as  they  are 
at  present. 

A  story  used  to  be  told  about  McKean  Buchanan, 
an  actor  of  Cincinnati  who  went  to  Detroit,  San- 
dusky, and  other  lake  cities,  on  what  is  called  a  star- 
ring tour;  his  support  in  each  place  being  the  local 
company.  His  tour  was  a  very  short  one ;  and  on 
his  return  to  Cincinnati  somebody  questioned  his 
agent  as  to   the  success  of  the  affair. 

"Pretty  bad  all  through,"  replied  the  agent;  "and 
the  support  was  awful.  We  opened  with  Hamlet  in 
Sandusky,  and  the  local  company  was  made  up  of 
canal-boatmen  and  blacksmiths,  the  worst  actors  I 
ever  saw.  They  were  worse  than  '  Mac '  himself ; 
even  he  couldn't  stand  them.  He  played  the  first 
act  with  'em,  and  the  other  four  acts    alone." 

Another  story  about  McKean  Buchanan  relates  to 
his  skill  at  the  American  game  of  cards  known  as 
"  poker."  He  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  Califor- 
nia, and  asked  a  theatrical  manager  of   Cincinnati   to 


THE   FIRST    BABY.  127 

give  him  a  letter  of  introduction  to  a  fellow-manager 
in  San  Francisco.  The  letter  was  promptly  given, 
and  read  as  follows :  — 

"  Dear  Sir :  — 

This  will  introduce  the  actor,  Mr.  McKean  Buchanan. 
He  plays  Hamlet,  Richard  III.,  Henry  VIII.,  Othello, 
Richelieu,  Claude  Melnotte,  The  Hunchback,  and  Poker." 

Early  in  1850  the  Grants  broke  up  housekeeping. 
Mrs.  Grant  went  back  to  her  father's  in  St.  Louis ; 
and  shortly  after  her  going  there  her  first  son  was 
born.  Meantime  Lieutenant  Grant  boarded  with  Cap- 
tain Gore,  another  officer  of  the  Fourth  Infantry. 

When  Mrs.  Grant  returned,  bringing  the  baby, 
she  and  her  husband  remained  with  the  Gores.  The 
house  where  they  lived  was  of  a  better  quality  than 
the  one  they  had  previously  occupied,  and  was  situated 
on  Jefferson  Avenue,  which  was  at  that  time  the 
principal  avenue  in  the  city.  The  houses  along  it 
were  not  very  close  to  each  other  at  that  time ;  but 
since  then  a  great  many  fine  residences  have  sprung 
up,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  locality  point  with 
pride  to  their  avenue. 

Detroit  was  at  that  time  the  head  of  a  large  de- 
partment. Lieutenant  Grant  was  commissary  and 
quartermaster  of  the  post  where  his  regiment  was 
stationed ;    and     the     department     quartermaster     was 


128  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Major  Sibley,  the  inventor  of  the  well-known  Sibley 
tent.  Grant's  duties  at  his  own  office  were  very 
light,  the  most  of  them  being  performed  by  his  ser- 
geant, so  that  the  officer  had  no  occasion  to  spend 
much  time  there.  He  was  more  frequently  to  be 
found  at  the  office  of  Major  Sibley ;  and  divided  his 
time  during  the  day  between  the  major's  head- 
quarters and  the  sutler's  store  of  the  post.  The  latter 
place  was  the  favorite  resort  of  the  army  officers,  in- 
cluding those  on  active  duty  and  those  who  had  re- 
tired. There  was  quite  a  number  of  the  latter ;  and 
it  is  safe  to  assume  that  the  halls  of  the  building 
resounded  with  a  great  many  stories  of  army  life, 
and  especially  of  the  Mexican  War  which  was  so 
recently  in  everybody's  mind. 

Grant's  fondness  for  horses  still  continued ;  and 
outside  of  war  he  was  more  interested  in  stories  of 
horse-flesh  than  of  anything  else.  Grant  brought 
from  Mexico  a  large  gray  horse,  which  is  still  re- 
membered by  some  of  the  old  inhabitants  of  Detroit, 
and  was  probably  the  same  animal  with  which  he 
rode  down  and  up  the  steps  at  Chapultepec.  He 
did  not  by  any  means  confine  his  riding  to  this 
horse.  He  used  to  ride  the  French  ponies  which 
abounded  in  Detroit  at  that  time,  and,  in  fact,  was 
ready  to  ride  any  steed  that  was  brought  along. 

On   one   occasion  he    offered    two    hundred    dollars 


"  THE   CICOTTE   MARE."  129 

for  a  mare  which  belonged  to  a  Mr.  Cicotte,  on  con- 
dition that  the  animal  could  pace  a  mile  in  two  min- 
utes and  fifty-five  seconds,  at  the  same  time  drawing 
a  buggy  containing  two  men.  The  offer  was  ac- 
cepted, and  Jefferson  Avenue  was  chosen  as  the  place 
of  trial.  The  horse  was  harnessed  into  the  buggy, 
arrangements  were  made  for  "  timing  "  the  speed,  and 
Grant  and  Cicotte  stepped  into  the  vehicle.  Away 
went  the  horse,  and  the  mile  was  finished  inside  the 
time  agreed  upon.  Grant  became  the  owner  of  the 
animal,  and  kept  it  for  several  years.  He  sent  it  to 
St.  Louis,  where  it  won  a  race  for  one  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  was  sold  soon  after  for  fifteen  hundred 
dollars. 

A  local  amusement  of  Detroit  at  that  time  was 
an  occasional  dog-fight.  Grant  was  not  a  keeper  of 
dogs,  and  had  no  fondness  for  the  sport.  One  day 
two  dogs,  belonging  to  Thomas  Lewis  and  Horace 
Gray,  had  a  very  savage  encounter  on  Grosse  Isle, 
in  the  Detroit  River.  Gray  lived  on  Grosse  Isle ;  and 
when  the  fight  was  going  on,  he  turned  to  Lewis 
and  said,  — 

"  Either  your  dog  or  I  must   quit  this  island ! " 

Grant    happened    to   be  standing  by,  and   joined  in 

the    laugh    at   the    remark.     Their   next  meeting  was 

during  the   Civil   War,    when    Grant   commanded  the 

Army    of    the    Tennessee    and    Gray    was    major  of  a 


130  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Michigan  regiment.  When  they  met  and  had  shaken 
hands,  Grant's  first  question  was.  — 

"  Which  one  of  you  left  the  island,  Gray  ?  you  or 
the  dog?" 

During  a  part  of  his  residence  in  Detroit,  Grant 
lived  iii  a  house  belonging  to  a  Mr.  Bacon,  and  the 
landlord  and  his  tenant  became  fairly  well  acquainted. 
When  the  news  of  the  surrender  of  Fort  Donelson 
was  telegraphed  over  the  North,  accompanied  by  the 
"  unconditional  surrender  let.ter,*,  Mr.   Bacon  said,  — 

"  Seems  to  me  that  there  was  a  Captain  Grant 
lived  in  one  of  my  houses ;  I  wonder  if  this  is  the 
same  one."' 

Then  he  remembered  that  Grant  wrote  his  name 
one  day  on  a  window-pane  with  a  diamond.  He 
went  to  the  house  at  once,  and  was  greatly  rejoiced 
to  find  that  his  tenant  and  the  hero  of  Donelson 
were  one  and  the  same. 

Grant  was  considered  one  of  the  mildest  mannered 
men  in  Detroit,  and  was  very  unlikely  to  get  into 
a  row  with  anybody.  He  did  have  one  quarrel,  how- 
ever, with  Zachary  Chandler,  who  was  then  a  dry- 
goods  merchant,  and  later  became  United  States  Sen- 
ator. The  cause  of  the  trouble  was  that  Chandler 
did  not  keep  his  sidewalk  clear  of  snow  and  ice,  and 
they  had  a  great  deal  of  those  articles  in  Detroit. 
Several  of  the  officers   had   slipped   and   fallen  on  the 


GRANT   VS.    CHANDLER.  13i 

ice  in  front  of  Chandler's  house ;  and  one  evening 
while  Grant  was  on  his  way  home  he  was  unfor- 
tunate enough  to  slip  and  receive  a  severe  sprain. 
Being  very  angry  in  consequence  of  his  mishap,  he 
swore  out  a  complaint  against  Chandler  for  his  fail- 
ure to  comply  with  the  city  ordinances  which  re- 
quire the  sidewalks  to  be  kept  clear. 

The  case  came  to  trial,  and  Chandler  insisted  upon 
a  jury  and  upon  the  right  of  being  his  own  lawyer. 
The  witnesses  in  the  case  were  principally  officers 
of  the  post,  and  they  convinced  the  jury  that  the  or- 
dinances had  been  violated  flagrantly.  During  his 
career  in  the  United  States  Senate,  Chandler  was  famous 
for  his  power  of  abusing  his  opponents,  and  at  this 
trial  he  assailed  the  officers  so  savagely  that  possibly 
some  of  them  wished  they  had  never  testified  against 
him.  He  called  them  idle  loafers  who  lived  upon  the 
community,  and  said  that  if  they  would  keep  sober 
they  would  not  be  slipping  on  other  people's  side- 
walks. The  jury  brought  in  a  verdict  against  Chand- 
ler, but  the  damages  were  placed  at  the  moderate 
sum  of  six  cents  and  costs.  The  affair  created  a 
great  deal  of  talk  in  Detroit,  and  it  was  thought 
that  a  personal  encounter  between  Chandler  and  some 
of  the  officers  might  come  of  it.  Nothing  happened, 
however;  and  when  fifteen  years  afterwards  Senator 
Chandler    entertained  General   Grant  at    his   home   in 


132  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Detroit,  both  of  them  had  a  hearty  laugh  over  the 
sidewalk   incident. 

Early  in  1851  the  Fourth  Infantry  was  transferred 
from  Detroit  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  N.Y.  Before  the 
transfer,  Mrs.  Grant  went  to  the  home  of  her  parents 
in  St.  Louis  with  the  understanding  that  she  was  to 
remain  until  Grant  could  provide  a  suitable  home  for 
them  and  send  for  her.  Sackett's  Harbor  was  a  much 
smaller  place  than  Detroit,  and  its  population  was 
of  a  somewhat  different  character.  Detroit  had  quite 
a  sprinkling  of  old  French  families,  while  Sackett's 
Harbor  had  none.  It  was  not  far  from  the  spot 
where,  in  the  old  French  War,  about  one  hundred 
years  before,  Grant's  great-grandfather  was  killed. 
It  was  a  place  of  considerable  importance  in  the  War 
of  1812,  as  it  was  the  rendezvous  for  the  American 
fleet  on  the  lake. 

While  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  Grant  joined  the  Sons 
of  Temperance  and  also  the  Odd  Fellows.  He  joined 
the  former  on  account  of  having  observed  the  drink- 
ing tendency  among  officers  in  time  of  peace ;  and 
as  to  the  Odd  Fellows,  he  became  a  member  more  to 
kill  time  than  for  any  other  purpose.  He  attended 
the  regular  quarterly  meetings,  but  rarely  took  an 
active  part.  The  story  goes  that  he  was  once  put 
on  a  committee  of  three  for  some  purpose ;  he  dis- 
agreed with  the  other  two,  and    brought  in  a  minor- 


RAGING    ON   THE   ICE.  133 

ity  report.  The  other  two  members  of  the  committee 
were  leading  citizens  of  the  place,  and  it  was  thought 
by  some  to  be  a  little  presumptive  on  the  part  of 
the  army  officer  to  oppose  the  views  of  men  so  dis- 
tinguished locally.  But  when  his  report  was  read, 
it  proved  to  be  such  an  able  document  that  it  raised 
him  very  materially  in  the  estimation  of  the  entire 
lodge. 

Grant  as  usual  showed  more  interest  in  horse-flesh 
than  in  anything  else,  though  he  performed  his  du- 
ties as  quartermaster  of  the  regiment,  together  with 
all  other  duties,  with  promptness  and  exactness. 
In  summer  there  were  horse-races  on  land,  and  in 
winter  on  ice,  the  latter  being  rather  more  popular 
than  the  former.  Grant  was  a  participant  in  most 
of  the  races,  and  a  winner  quite  as  often  as  anybody 
else.  A  fire-company  was  organized  among  the  sol- 
diers, and  on  several  occasions  it  had  friendly  contests 
with  the  citizens'  fire-company.  The  fact  is,  times 
were  very  dull  in  the  town,  and  the  soldiers  as  well 
as  the  officers  were  ready  to  accept  anything  that  would 
afford  amusement  or  excitement. 

About  the  middle  of  1852,  orders  came  for  the 
Fourth  Infantry  to  proceed  to  the  Pacific  coast.  The 
journey  at  that  time  was  much  more  severe  than  it 
is  at  present;  and  it  was  decided  that  Mrs.  Grant 
could   not  endure    the    hardship   of   the   journey,    and 


134  boys'  ltfe  of  general  granI\ 

therefore  should  not  accompany  her  husband  to  Cali- 
fornia. She  was  to  remain  at  home  with  her  parents, 
after  visiting  Jesse   Grant  and  his  wife  in  Ohio. 

During  her  stay  in  Ohio  Mrs.  Grant's  second  son 
was  born,  and  received  the  name  of  Ulysses.  When 
the  child  was  a  few  months  old  his  mother  returned 
to  St.  Louis.  The  negroes  on  Mr.  Dent's  place  named 
the  boy  "Buckeye,"  because  ho  was  born  in  Ohio, 
the  Buckeye  State.  This  nickname  was  shortened 
to  "Buck,"  and  adhered  to  the  boy  ever  afterwards. 


OFF    FOR   CALIFORNIA.  185 


CHAPTER   X. 

Off  for  California.  —  On  the  Isthmus.  —  Difficulties  and  hardships  of  the 
journey.  —  Failure  of  the  contractor  to  keep  his  agreement.  —  Over- 
land in  the  mud.  —  How  Grant  acquitted  himself.  —  Arrival  at  Panama. 
—  Embarking  on  the  Golden  Gate.  —  Outbreak  of  cholera.  —  Arrival 
at  San  Francisco.  —  Expense  of  living  in  California. — Grant  in  Ore- 
gon. —  His  experience  at  farming.  —  Another  promotion.  —  At  Hum- 
boldt Bay.  —  Resigned  and  goes  home.  —  Settles  down  to  farming.  — 
In  the  real-estate  business.  —  Moves  to  Galena,  111. 

There  was  no  Pacific  Railway  in  those  days,  and 
the  shortest  and  quickest  route  to  the  Pacific  coast 
was  by  way  of  the  Isthmus.  Eight  companies  of 
the  Fourth  Infantry  assembled  at  Governor's  Island  in 
New  York  Harbor,  and  on  the  fifth  of  July  they  em- 
barked on  board  the  steamship  Ohio.  Five  officers 
only  took  their  wives  and  children,  all  the  other 
married  officers   leaving  their  families   at  home. 

The  Ohio  had  already  been  filled  before  the  ar- 
rangements were  made  for  carrying  the  regiment, 
and  the  consequence  was  that  the  ship  was  over- 
crowded. Temporary  berths  were  erected  on  deck 
for  the  soldiers ;  they  were  several  tiers  high,  and 
in  the  event  of  a  storm  they  would  have  been  terribly 
uncomfortable  as  well  as  dangerous.  There  was  so 
much  complaint   about  overcrowding  that    it    was    ne- 


136  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

cessary  to  keep  a  strong  guard  on  duty  to  prevent 
insubordination.  Grant  continued  to  be  quartermas- 
ter, and  achieved  considerable  popularity  among  the 
officers  and  men  by  his  untiring  efforts  in  their  behalf. 

Luckily  there  was  no  storm  during,  the  voyage, 
and  the  Ohio  reached  Aspinwall  on  the  eleventh  day 
from  New  York.  The  railway  at  that  time  was  com- 
pleted nearly  twenty  miles  to  the  point  where  it 
crosses  the  Chagres  River.  The  passengers  spent 
the  night  at  Aspinwall,  breathing  the  fever-laden  at- 
mosphere of  the  place ;  and  the  next  day  they  were 
packed  in  the  cars,  and  carried  to  the  point  where 
the  railway  then  ended.  Through  the  energy  of  the 
quartermaster,  boats  were  secured  for  transporting 
the  regiment  up  the  river  to  Cruces,  eleven  miles 
away.  They  started  late  in  the  afternoon,  so  that 
night  came  on  before  the  party  was  three  miles  away. 
Here  the  boatmen  refused  to  go  until  daylight,  declar- 
ing that  it  was  dangerous  to  do  so ;  and  consequently 
the  whole  party,  ladies  and  all,  were  compelled  to 
pass  the   night   on  the   river  without  food    or  shelter. 

In  the  following  forenoon  the  boats  reached  Cruces ; 
from  there  the  river  was  abandoned  and  the  party 
took  to  the  road.  The  ladies  and  most  of  the  officers 
through  Grant's  energies  were  supplied  with  mules  ; 
but  the  great  majority  of  the  party  went  on   foot. 

It    happened    to    be    the     rainy    season.       The    road 


CROSSING    THE   ISTHMUS.  137 

was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  track  of  black  mud 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  way,  and  it  varied  from 
two  inches  to  as  many  feet  in  depth.  Captain  Grant 
in  one  of  his  letters  describes  it  as  thirty  miles  long, 
thirty  feet  wide,  and  thirty  inches  deep ;  but  bear  in 
mind  that  this  was  in  a  private  letter  to  his  wife,  and 
not  an  official  report.  The  officers'  wives  asked  in 
vain  for  side-saddles,  and  found  they  must  follow 
the  custom  of  the  country  and  ride  "  man  fashion." 
They  accepted  the  situation,  laid  aside  their  femi- 
nine dresses,  donned  trousers,  and  gallantly  bestrode 
the  mules  that  had  been  provided. 

The  steamship  company  had  engaged  to  transport 
the  regiment  and  all  accompanying  it  across  the 
isthmus ;  but  beyond  duces,  no  arrangements  what- 
ever had  been  made.  The  soldiers  were  obliged  to 
march,  and  get  along  the  best  way  the}T  could.  The 
mules  for  the  ladies  and  the  officers  had  been  ob- 
tained through  Grant's  personal  exertions,  assisted 
by  the  alcalde,  or  mayor,  of  duces ;  but  it  was 
impossible  to  obtain  transportation  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  regimental  baggage.  A  considerable  por- 
tion of  it  was  destroyed  at  duces,  owing  to  the  im- 
possibility of  taking  it  along.  While  the  regiment 
was  at  duces,  cholera  broke  out  in  the  camp,  and 
cost  the  lives  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  women, 
and  children  of  the  regimental  party. 


138  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Grant's  duties  kept  him  with  the  regiment;  and  he 
did  not  reach  Panama  until  several  days  after  the 
ladies  of  the  party  had  arrived  there.  The  steam- 
ship Golden  Gate  came  in  a  day  or  two  in  advance 
of  the  regiment,  and  as  soon  as  possible  the  troops 
were  embarked.  When  they  were  fairly  on  board, 
the  cholera  broke  out  again  and  raged  fearfully. 
Nearly  one  hundred  men  died,  and  one  officer,  Major 
Gore,  an  old  and  warm  friend  of  Grant,  and  the 
man  in  whose  house  Grant  and  his  wife  had  lived 
for  some  time  in  Detroit.  Major  Gore  was  accompa- 
nied by  his  wife ;  and  after  the  burial  of  his  remains 
on  an  island  in  the  Bay  of  Panama,  the  colonel 
detailed  a  lieutenant  to  escort  his  widow  to  her 
old  home  in  Kentucky.  She  was  carried  back  to 
Aspinwall  in  a  hammock  borne  by  two  natives, 
while  five  other  hammocks  carried  her  child,  nurse, 
and  baggage.  Before  reaching  their  destination  these 
fellows  robbed  her  of  her  money  and  jewelry  and 
nearly  all  of  her  clothing. 

The  Golden  Gate  remained  for  some  time  in  the 
harbor  at  Panama,  until  the  cholera  on  board  had 
subsided.  The  passengers  were  in  strict  quarantine, 
no  one  being  allowed  to  land,  and  there  was  too 
much  disease  on  board  for  going  to  sea.  After  a 
time  the  regimental  surgeon  insisted  that  the  ship 
should  be  thoroughly  fumigated.     The  passengers  tem- 


IN   CALIFORNIA.  139 

porarily  landed  on  a  small  island:  The  Golden  Gate 
was  thoroughly  fumigated,  and  large  quantities  of 
infected  clothing,  bedding,  and  the  like,  were  de- 
stroyed. Then  the  steamer  put  to  sea,  and  reached 
San  Francisco  near  the  end  of  August,   1852. 

Before  he  had  been  an  hour  in  San  Francisco, 
Grant  met  an  old  friend  of  Mexican  War  days.  To 
the  question,  "What  are  you  doing  here?"  the  man 
replied  that  he  was  like  thousands  of  others,  doing 
anything  he  could  find,  and  also  "doing"  any  stranger 
he  could  get  hold  of.  "I've  been  handling  ships' 
cargoes,"  said  he,  "  carrying  trunks,  acting  as  clerk 
in  a  hotel,  and  doing  a  little  preaching.  Yesterday 
I  built  an  oven  for  a  Dutch  baker.  He  did  the  work 
while  I  bossed  the  job,  handing  him  a  brick  now 
and  then ;  and  I  got  ten  dollars  for  what  I  did.  I 
didn't  know  anything  about  building  ovens,  and  so 
wasn't  hampered  by  any  preconceived  notions.'' 

A  day  or  two  after  its  arrival  at  San  Francisco, 
the  Fourth  Infantry  was  sent  to  Benicia,  a  town 
and  military  post  about  midway  between  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Sacramento.  Lieutenant  Grant  found  it  was 
very  fortunate  for  him  that  Mrs.  Grant  remained  at 
home,  as  the  expense  of  supporting  a  family  there 
was  far  above  his  means.  The  wages  of  a  cook  alone 
would  have  taken  all  his  pay,  leaving  nothing  for 
other    servants,    house-rent,    provisions,    clothing,    or 


140  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

anything  else.  Flour  was  twenty-five  cents  a  pound, 
potatoes  sixteen  cents,  cabbage,  beets,  and  turnips  six 
cents,  and  everything  else  in  proportion.  People  had 
not  then  turned  their  attention  to  agriculture ;  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  provisions  consumed  there 
were  brought  from  the  United  States,  around  Cape 
Horn,   or  from   the  Hawaiian  Islands. 

After  the  gold  rush  began  to  decline,  attention 
was  turned  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil ;  and  it  was 
then  found  that  the  land  of  California  was  wonder- 
fully productive.  For  two  or  three  years  the  wheat 
produced  in  California  was  shipped  around  Cape 
Horn  to  New  York  and  other  Eastern  parts,  and 
then  shipped  back  again  in  the  shape  of  flour.  After 
a  time  flour-mills  were  erected  in  California,  and  put 
a  stop  to  the  business  of  going  seventeen  thousand 
miles  to  mill. 

After  a  few  weeks  in  California  the  Fourth  In- 
fantry was  ordered  to  Vancouver  on  the  Columbia 
River;  and  an  intimation  was  given  that  it  would 
remain  there  for  some  time.  The  high  price  of  po- 
tatoes induced  Grant  and  three  other  officers  to  go 
into  the  potato  business,  their  intention  being  to 
raise  enough  for  themselves  and  sell  the  balance. 
In  the  spring  of  1853,  they  bought  a  pair  of  horses 
that  had  crossed  the  plains  and  were  very  poor;  but 
the  animals   rapidly   regained  strength  and  flesh,  and 


A    FARMING   EXPERIMENT.  141 

were  serviceable  for  plowing.  Grant  did  all  the 
plowing  with  the  "horses,  while  the  other  officers 
planted  the  potatoes.  The  tubers  grew  famously;  but 
the  Columbia  River  rose  to  an  unusual  height  and 
killed  most  of  their  crop.  Grant  said  it  was  a  lucky 
circumstance,  as  it  saved  digging  the  potatoes  up. 
Everybody  else  went  into  the  potato  business  the 
same  year,  and  three-fourths  of  the  crop  was  allowed 
to  rot  in  the  ground.  The  firm  of  Grant  &  Co. 
never  sold  any  potatoes  except  to  their  own  mess. 

Owing  to  the  death  of  a  superior  officer,  Grant 
was  promoted  to  a  full  captaincy  on  the  5th  of 
July,  1853,  and  was  sent  to  a  company  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry  which  had  been  detached,  and  was 
then  stationed  at  Humboldt  Bay,  Cal.  The  only 
mode  of  conveyance  was  first  by  steam  to  San 
Francisco,  and  then  by  a  sailing-vessel  going  to 
Humboldt  for  lumber.  A  species  of  cedar,  called 
redwood  in  California,  was  then  used  for  building- 
purposes  as  extensively  as  pine  is  used  in  the  Eastern 
States.  Saw-mills  had  been  put  up  at  Humboldt 
Bay,  and  large  quantities  of  redwood  were  cut  up 
and  sent  to  San  Francisco  for  a  market. 

Captain  Grant  found  that  San  Francisco  had  grown 
considerably  during  the  year  of  his  absence.  When 
he  first  landed  in  the  city,  there  was  only  one  wharf 
in    front    of   it.       In   1853  he  found  that  the  city  had 


142  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

grown  out  into  the  bay  beyond  what  was  the  end 
of  the  wharf  when  he  saw  it.  Streets  and  houses 
had  been  built  on  piles  where,  twelve  months  before, 
large  ships  were  fastened .  to  the  wharf,  or  anchored. 
And  we  may  add  here,  that  as  time  went  on  San 
Francisco  pushed  farther  and  farther  into  the  bay, 
so  that  the  water-front  of  the  present  time  is  sev- 
eral blocks  away  from  the  old  water-front  of  1850. 
The  curious  may  visit  the  Niantic  Hotel,  or  what- 
ever building  may  have  succeeded  it,  and  see  in  the 
cellar  thereof  the  timbers  of  the  old  ship  Niantic, 
where  that  craft  once  lay  at  anchor.  The  position 
is  now  nearly  one-half  a  mile  from  the  water-front. 
The  highest  court  in  San  Francisco  one  day  decided 
that  the  owner  of  the  shore  owned  out  into  the  bay 
for  an  indefinite  distance.  That  very  night  an  en- 
terprising Yankee  loaded  a  small  house  on  a  scow 
and  floated  it  around  to  a  vacant  place  on  the  water- 
front. Here,  with  the  aid  of  some  men  he  had  hired, 
he  pulled  the  scow  about  half  its  length  on  shore, 
and  thus  "  squatted "  on  the  strand.  He  duly 
entered  his  claim  at  the  register's  office,  and  within 
two  days  sold  it  to  a  speculator  for  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars ! 

After  joining  his  company  at  Humboldt  Bay,  Cap- 
tain Grant  passed  a  weary  and  dreary  life  at  the 
little    post   were  he  was  stationed.     There  were  some 


GRANT    AT    HUMBOLDT    BAY.  143 

Indians  in  the  neighborhood,  but  they  were  so  peace- 
ful that  the  soldiers  were  cut  off  from  the  excite- 
ment of  an  occasional  Indian  hunt.  Hunting  of  other 
kinds  was  abundant,  but  Grant  did  not  have  much 
taste  for  it.  He  bought  one  of  the  best  horses  he 
could  find,  and  passed  a  considerable  portion  of  his 
time  on  the  back  of  his  steed,  roaming  through  the 
woods  that    surrounded  the  bay. 

Grant  was  induced  to  embark  in  a  speculation  to 
lease  a  hotel  in  San  Francisco,  and  run  a  sort  of 
club-room  and  billiard-room  combined,  at  a  rental 
of  five  hundred  dollars  a  month.  It  was  represented 
that  the  profits  of  the  investment  would  be  very 
large.  They  might  have  been  so  if  the  officers  could 
have  managed  the  business  themselves.  The  agents 
whom  they  placed  in  charge  were  dishonest,  and  the 
money  they  collected  went  into  their  own  pockets. 
After  a  time  the  officers  grew  weary  of  advancing 
money  that  never  returned,  and  the  enterprise  was 
abandoned. 

The  military  post  at  Humboldt  Bay  was  known  as 
Fort  Humboldt.  There  was  a  town  three  miles  away, 
called  Eureka,  which  consisted  of  two  saw-mills, 
twenty  dwelling-houses,  and  a  store.  The  whole 
establishment  belonged  to  James  T.  Ryan,  who  was 
one  of  those  peculiar  characters  who  seem  to  be 
especially    created    for    new    countries.      On    his     first 


144  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

visit  to  Humboldt  Bay  he  observed  a  vast  amount 
of  timber,  and  realized  how  valuable  it  would  be 
when  cut  into  lumber.  He  purchased  the  Indian 
claim  to  the  land  for  a  barrel  of  whisky  and  a  suit 
of  old  clothes,  and  then  proceeded  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  made  the  necessary  entries,  and  secured 
the  land  under  a  Government  claim.  He  bought  a 
saw-mill,  but  was  unable  to  get  an  engine  to  run  it. 
So  he  bought  an  old  steamboat  and  loaded  the 
mill  upon  it,  together  with  a  stock  of  provisions  and 
the  men  whom  he  wanted  for  his  work.  Just  as 
he  started  he  found  that  somebody  had  stolen  his 
compass.  He  found  a  little  river  compass  with  the 
glass  broken ;  he  took  a  pan&  of  glass  and  cut  it 
into  shape  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  holding  the  glass 
under  water  while  cutting  it.  He  fitted  this  glass 
into  the  top  of  his  river  compass,  and  by  means  of 
this  instrument  he  steered  the  boat  up  the  coast  to 
its  destination.  Then  he  ran  the  bow  of  the  steam- 
boat on  shore,  pulled  her  partly  out  of  water  by 
means  of  her  capstan,  set  up  the  saw-mill  by  her 
side,  and  used  the  engines  on  the  boat  to  run  it  by. 
He  laid  out  the  town  of  Eureka  by  means  of  a  sur- 
veying instrument  which  he  made  out  of  a  piece 
of  wood  and  two  medicine  vials.  He  afterwards  be- 
came a  brigadier-general  and  a  member  of  the  Cali- 
fornia  Senate.     In   1861  he    visited  Washington,    and 


JOHN   T.  RYAN.  145 

was  introduced  to  President  Lincoln  by  Senator  Mac- 
Dougal    of    California    in  these  words:  — 

"  Mr.  President,  this  is  General  Ryan,  a  loyal 
neighbor  of  mine,  who  can  build  a  cathedral  and 
preach  in  it,  a  ship  and  sail  it,  or  an  engine  and 
run  it." 

Ryan  owned  a  fine  horse  called  Eclipse,  and  occa- 
sionally he  lent  it  to  Captain  Grant  for  a  gallop  in 
the  afternoon.  When  Grant  was  commanding  the 
armies  in  front  of  Richmond,  Ryan  called  upon  him, 
and  was  immediately  recognized  and  addressed  by 
name. 

"How  is  everything  at  Eureka?"  said  the  gen- 
eral, after  first  inquiring  about  Ryan's  family. 

"Things  are  pretty  much  the  same  there,"  was 
the  reply,   "though  the  place  has  grown  some." 

"How  is  Eclipse?     Is  he  still  alive?" 

"He  is  still  alive,"  Ryan  answered,  "though  he 
isn't  the  horse  now  that  he  was  when  you  knew 
him." 

"  He  was  the  finest  horse  I  ever  saw  on  the  Pa- 
cific coast,"  said  Grant  with  much  emphasis ;  and 
then  proceeded  to  introduce  his  visitor  to  Generals 
Sheridan,  Meade,  and  other  officers  who  were  calling 
upon  him. 

Captain  Grant  went  into  business  in  a  small  way 
by    entering    into    a    partnership    with    his    brother-in- 


146  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

law,  Lewis  Dent,  who  was  running  a  ferry-boat  at 
Knight's  Ferry  on  the  Stanislaus  River.  The  ferry 
was  fairly  profitable,  but  not  largely  so ;  and  there 
was  no  chance  that  it  would  bring  a  fortune  to  its 
owners  unless  the  discovery  of  gold  beyond  the  river 
should  lead  to  a  rush  in  that  direction.  The  owners 
of  the  ferry  waited  for  the  discovery  and  consequent 
rush,  but  neither  of  them  came. 

Grant  longed  for  the  society  of  his  wife  and  two 
children,  but  he  could  see  no  prospect  of  having 
them  come  to  him,  as  the  support  of  a  family  in 
that  locality  was  quite  out  of  question  on  a  captain's 
pay ;  so  he  decided  to  resign  from  the  army  and  go 
into  something  else.  His  resignation  was  tendered, 
to  take  effect  July  31,  1854.  After  resigning,  he 
remarked  to  a  friend  that  anybody  who  hunted  for 
him  ten  years  later  would  find  him  a  prosperous 
farmer  in  Missouri. 

Grant  remained  for  a  little  while  with  his  brother- 
in-law  at  Knight's  Ferry,  and  occasionally  assisted 
in  running  the  boat.  After  he  became  famous  as 
commander-in-chief  of  the  army,  and  president  of 
the  United  States,  it  was  an  astounding  circumstance 
that  every  man  in  California  from  one  end  of  the 
State  to  the  other  remembered  "having  seen  Grant 
at  Knight's  Ferry."  To  this  day  pretty  nearly  all 
old    Californians    make    the    same   assertion.     The    in- 


GRANT    LOSES   MONEY.  147 

ference  is  that  the  ferry  must  have  done  an  enor- 
mous business  in  the  short  period  that  Grant  remained 
there. 

Late  in  the  summer  of  1854,  Grant  rejoined  his 
family  at  St.  Louis,  finding  in  it  a  son  whom  he 
had  never  seen,  the  one  who  was  born  while  he  was 
crossing  the  isthmus  on  his  way  to  California. 

He  arrived  home  with  a  very  low  purse,  and  went 
from  New  York  to  St.  Louis  by  way  of  Sackett's  Har- 
bor, hoping  to  collect  there  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
which  he  had  loaned  to  the  post  sutler ;  but  the  sutler 
had  sold  out  his  business  and  gone,  and  Grant  was 
unable  to  get  a  cent  of  the  money.  Though  the 
sutler  was  afterward  an  officer  in  Grant's  command, 
he  never  repaid  the  debt,  or  any  part  of  it.  Grant 
might  have  taken  advantage  of  his  position  and  forced 
him  to  pay  it,  but  he  was  too  broad-minded  for  any- 
thing like  that. 

His  prospects  in  life  at  this  time  were  not  brilliant. 
His  wife  owned  a  farm  of  sixty  acres  in  St.  Louis ; 
but  there  was  no  house  on  it,  and  no  stock  or  farm- 
ing utensils.  Grant  built  a  small  log  house  on  the 
farm,  working  industriously  until  it  was  completed ; 
then  he  moved  in  his  family,  and  they  set  up  house- 
keeping in  a  very  modest  way.  He  bought  a  wagon 
and  a  pair  of  horses  partly  for  cash,  and  partly  on 
credit;  and  occasionally  brought  a  load  of  wood  into 


148  boys'   life  of  general  grant. 

the  city  for  sale.  Several  times  he  took  wood  to  Jef- 
ferson Barracks,  and  while  there  he  came  across  some 
of  the  officers  he  had  known  in  the  service.  Usually 
he  had  a  pleasant  chat  with  them  and  came  away 
in  a  cheerful  mood ;  but  sometimes  his  feelings  were 
touched  by  a  show  of  disdain  on  the  part  of  some 
of  his  comrades  who  seemed  to  look  down  on  him 
now  that  he  had  become  a  farmer. 

About  this  time  John  Dent,  a  younger  brother  of 
Mrs.  Grant,  planned  to  go  to  California  and  join  the 
elder  brother,  Lewis,  who  was  running  the  ferry- 
boat at  Knight's  Ferry.  One  of  the  colored  servants 
(slaves),  named  George,  wanted  to  go  with  John  as 
a  protector ;  but  the  question  was  raised  as  to  the 
chances  of  his  taking  advantage  of  the  laws  of  the 
first  free  State  he  entered  and  running  away.  The 
matter  was  referred  to  Grant. 

"I  don't  see  why  a  black  skin  shouldn't  cover  an 
honest  heart  as  well  as  a  white  one.  I  would  trust 
George,  as  I  believe  him  to  be  throughly  honest  and 
loyal  to  all  of  us." 

George  went  to  California  with  John,  and  never 
showed  the  least  intention  of  running  away.  In 
course  of  time,  when  other  enterprises  called  the 
Dent  brothers  away,  he  was  in  charge,  of  the  busi- 
ness of  the  ferry,  and  managed  it  faithfully. 

In  the  spring  of  1855,   Grant  managed  to   get   to- 


IN   THE    REAL    ESTATE    BUSINESS.  149 

gether  a  plow  and  some  other  farming  utensils,  and, 
as  the  phrase  is  in  the  West,  he  proceeded  "to  put 
in  a  crop."  Farming  was  hard  work,  and  the  com- 
pensation not  great.  The  crops  from  the  land  served 
to  give  him  and  his  family  an  existence,  and  not 
much  beyond  it.  Whenever  any  ready  money  was 
badly  needed,  it  was  obtained  by    the    sale    of    wood. 

After  three  years  of  farming  experience,  Grant,  in 
the  autumn  of  1858,  sold  out  the  crops,  stock,  farm* 
ing  utensils,  and  the  like,  and  gave  up  farming.  He 
was  ill  with  fever  and  ague  for  nearly  a  year  before 
he  did  so ;  and  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
atmosphere  of  the  farm  was  malarious,  and  he  would 
never  be  well  as  long  as  he  remained  there.  His 
illness  did  not  keep  him  in  the  house,  but  it  inter- 
fered with  his  work. 

After  quitting  the  farm,  Grant  went  into  partner- 
ship with  Henry  Boggs,  a  cousin  of  his  wife,  in  the 
real-estate  business.  Grant  became  a  candidate  for 
the  office  of  county  engineer.  He  was  very  anxious 
to  obtain  the  position,  as  the  pay  (§1900  a  year) 
would  have  been  sufficient  to  support  him  and  his 
family  handsomely.  There  were  only  two  candidates 
for  the  position ;  and  the  appointment  was  in  the 
hands  of  the  county  court,  which  consisted  of  five 
individuals.  The  other  candidate  was  a  German  who 
had    been    recently    made    a   citizen     of   the     United 


150  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

States.  The  German  obtained  the  appointment ;  and 
when  the  news  was  taken  to  Grant,  the  latter 
quietly  remarked  that  "  the  successful  man  had  the 
advantage  of  birth."  St.  Louis  had  a  very  large 
population  of  Germans  at  that  time,  and  it  is  quite 
likely  that  a  native  of  the  United  States  was  at  a 
disadvantage. 

A  friend  urged  Grant  to  study  law  and  practice  it 
in  connection-  with  his  real-estate  business ;  but  the 
captain  thought  he  was  too  old  to  undertake  it, 
though  he  might  be  inclined  to  it  if  he  could  do  as 
well  as  a  friend  of  his  in  a  mining-town  in  Cali- 
fornia.    Then  he  told  the  following  story :  — 

"  My  friend  undertook  the  defense  of  a  young  man 
who  was  in  jail  on  the  charge  of  having  stolen  five 
hundred  dollars  from  a  stranger.  The  client  satisfied 
the  lawyer  of  his  innocence ;  and  the  latter  made 
such  a  successful  defense  that  the  prisoner  was  hon- 
orably acquitted,  the  judge  and  all  the  jury  shaking- 
hands  with  him  before  he  left  the  court. 

"  The  next  day  he  came  to  my  friend  and  handed 
him  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  saying,  as  he  did 
so,  that  he  thought  a  lawyer  who  could  do  as  well 
as  he  had  done  for  a  client  deserved  half  the 
amount  stolen." 

Unsuccessful  in  the  real-estate  business,  Grant 
looked    around   for   something   else.       He   obtained   a 


IN   BUSINESS   AT   GALENA.  151 

position  in  the  custom-house  at  St.  Louis,  but  lost 
it  in  less  than  a  month  on  account  of  the  death  of 
the  collector.  After  the  loss  of  the  custom-house 
place,  he  paid  a  visit  to  his  father  at  Covington, 
Ky.,  '  to  consider  the  subject  of  business  for  the 
future.  Jesse  Grant  had  established  a  tannery  and 
leather-store  at  Galena,  111.,  and  placed  it  in  charge 
of  his  two  sons,  Simpson  and  Orville,  though  it  was 
still  his  property,  and  "J.  R.  Grant"  was  the  nominal 
owner. 

A  family  council  was  held  concerning  the  future 
of  Ulysses ;  and  after  considerable  discussion  it  was 
decided  that  he  could  enter  the  leather-store  as 
clerk,  at  a  salary  of  six  hundred  dollars  a  year.  If 
he  was  successful  and  liked  the  business,  he  would 
be  taken  in  as  partner.  Jesse  had  been  prosperous, 
and  at  that  time  considered  himself  worth  from  sixty 
to  eighty  thousand  dollars.  The  Galena  enterprise 
proved  to  be  a  good  one,  and  much  of  its  success 
was  due  to  the  good  management  of  the  two 
brothers.  It  was  Jesse's  intention  to  give  Ulysses, 
provided  he  proved  useful,  a  partnership  interest, 
though  not  as  large  a  one  as  either  of  his  brothers, 
because   they  had  helped  to  build  up  the  business. 


152  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Galena  and  its  history.  —  Lincoln's  election.  —  Threatened  troubles  with 
the  South.  —  Excitement  in  North  and  South  after  Lincoln's  election. 
—  The  inauguration.  —  Conduct  of  Buchanan's  administration.  —  Call 
for  troops.  —  Response  of  Galena.  —  Speeches  of  E.  B.  Washburne  and 
John  A.  Rawlins. 

Grant  moved  to  Galena  in  March,  1860.  Galena 
is  situated  on  the  river  of  the  same  name,  forty 
miles  above  the  point  where  it  enters  the  Mississippi 
River.  The  city  is  built  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
in  a  little  valley,  and  at  that  time  consisted  of  a 
main  street  devoted  to  business,  while  the  streets  on 
each  side  of  it,  and  especially  on  the  north,  con- 
tained the  residences.  A  steep  bluff  on  the  north 
side  rose  over  the  river  to  a  height  of  about  two 
hundred  feet,  and  many  of  the  residences  were 
perched  on  the  side  of  this  bluff,  or  straggled  away 
over   its   summit. 

In  the  early  days  of  Western  settlement,  Galena 
was  for  a  long  time  a  frontier  post.  Colonel  Dent, 
Grant's  father-in-law,  had  formerly  traded  with  the 
Indians  at  Galena;  and  it  is  said  that  he  erected  one 
of  the  first  buildings  in  the  town.  He  supplied 
provisions   for    the    military  post  farther  up  the    Mis- 


MUTTERINGS    OF    WAR.  153 

sissippi,  and  he  went  up  the  great  river  to  the  Falls 
of  St.  Anthony  on  the  very  first  steamboat  that 
reached    that  point. 

Immediately  on  arriving  at  Galena,  Grant  assumed 
his  new  duties  as  clerk  in  the  store.  He  weighed 
or  measured  leather  for  the  customers,  and  bought 
hides  to  be  used  in  the  tannery.  The  stock  of  the 
store  included  not  only  domestic  leather,  but  saddlery 
materials,  shoe-findings,  French  calf,  and  morocco, 
and  other  goods  purchased  in  the  East,  and  not 
produced  in  Illinois.  He  made  tours  through  the 
North-west,  visiting  their  numerous  customers,  and 
obtaining  orders  for  goods.  Those  who  knew  Grant 
then  say  that  while  he  was  cheerful  and  affable,  and 
on  friendly  terms  with  all  of  their  local  customers, 
he  was  not  a  good  traveling  salesman.  He  could 
not  chaffer  and  tell  stories ;  and  as  for  drinking,  he 
had  been  a  total  abstainer  for  several  years.  Occa- 
sionally in  his  tours  he  fell  in  with  old  army  officers ; 
and  on  such  occasions,  especially  when  the  Mexican 
War  was  under  discussion,  he  could  talk  glibly 
enough. 

The  troubles  which  immediately  preceded  the  war 
were  then  exciting  a  good  deal  of  discussion.  The 
election  of  1860  was  at  hand ;  and  the  South  was 
making  very  earnest  threats  as  to  what  it  should  do 
in  case  its  candidate,  Breckinridge,  was  defeated,  and 


154  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  Northern  candidate,  Lincoln,  elected.  The  Re- 
publican party  had  come  into  existence  only  a  few 
years  earlier,  having  named  its  first  presidential 
candidate  in  1856. 

Grant  was  conservative  in  his  views,  while  his 
sympathies  were  with  the  Republican  party,  knowing 
as  he  did  that  the  estimate  put  upon  it  by  the  South 
was  a  false  one.  He  desired  at  the  same  time  that 
the  country  should  remain  at  peace.  When  the 
election  of  1860  came  on,  he  had  not  lived  long 
enough  in  Illinois  to  be  entitled  to  vote,  and  said 
he  was  glad  of  it,  on  the  whole,  that  he  was  not 
compelled  to  make  a  distinction.  He  would  have 
voted  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  had  no  chance 
whatever  of  being  elected ;  but,  nevertheless,  Grant 
would  have  voted  for  him  because  his  views  more 
nearly  coincided  with  the  Douglas  platform  than 
with  that  of  the  others.  As  between  Breckinridge 
and  Lincoln,  he  wanted  to  see  Lincoln  elected.  He 
had  hopes  that  between  the  time  of  the  election  and 
inauguration,  in  case  Mr.  Lincoln  were  elected,  the 
Southerners  would  cool  down,  and  take  a  second 
sober  thought  before  plunging  the  country  into  a 
condition  of  anarchy  or  civil  strife. 

From  the  date  of  the  election  in  November  down 
to  the  time  of  the  inauguration  of  the  President  in 
March,     1861,    was    a    period    of    great    excitement. 


SECESSION.  155 

South  Carolina  carried  out  her  threat  of  secession, 
and  other  Southern  States  proceeded  to  follow  her 
example.  In  most  of  the  Southern  States,  any  oppo- 
sition to  secession  wherever  it  existed  was  suppressed, 
and,  if  necessary,  by  violent  measures.  Some  of  the 
slave  States,  Maryland,  Delaware,  and  Missouri,  did 
not  secede,  though  their  governors  were  in  sym- 
pathy with  secession,  and  did  their  best  to  carry  their 
States   out  of  the   Union. 

Several  States  had  for  a  time  after  the  beginning 
of  the  war  a  dual  form  of  government ;  that  is,  they 
had  a  governor  and  other  officials  in  sympathy  with 
the  Union,  and  also  a  governor  and  similar  officials 
in  sympathy  with  the  Confederacy.  The  governor 
and  lieutenant-governor  of  Missouri,  Jackson  and 
Reynolds,  were  in  S}rmpathy  with  the  Confederacy, 
and  kept  the  secession  flag  flying  over  the  State 
House  in  Jefferson  City  until  the  Union  troops 
arrived  and  took  possession.  Then  they  fled  with 
the  Confederate  troops ;  and  although  Jackson  died 
not  long  afterwards,  the  semblance  of  a  Government 
was  kept  up  till  the  close  of  the  Rebellion,  although 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  it  was  outside  of  the 
State.  A  somewhat  similar  state  of  affairs  prevailed 
in  Kentucky,  but  it  did  not  last  as  long  as  in  Missouri. 

So  great  was  the  excitement  throughout  the  North, 
and    so    numerous    were    the   Northern    sympathizers 


156  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

with  the  secession  movement,  that  when  the  time 
came  for  the  president-elect  to  proceed  to  Washing- 
ton to  take  the  oath  of  office,  it  was  considered  unsafe 
for  him  to  travel  openly.  Plots  were  made  for  his 
assassination;  and  though  Mr.  Lincoln  opposed  the 
scheme  vehemently,  he  yielded  to  the  advice  of 
friends,  and  consented  to  be  smuggled  into  the 
Nation's  capital.  With  the  knowledge  of  his  move- 
ments confined  to  a  very  small  circle  of  close  friends, 
he  left  at  Harrisburg  the  train  on  which  he  was 
supposed  to  be  traveling,  and  slipped  through 
Baltimore  and  thence  to  Washington  on  another  and 
earlier  train.  There  is  little  doubt  that  he  would 
have  been  assassinated  had  he  continued  on  the  train 
by  which  he  traveled  from  Illinois  to  the  capital  of 
Pennsylvania. 

President  Lincoln  was  inaugurated  on  the  4th  of 
March.  The  movement  for  secession  continued ;  and 
and  on  the  11th  of  April  the  Secessionists  took  the 
aggressive,  and  opened  fire  upon  Fort  Sumter  in 
Charleston  harbor.  President  Lincoln  issued  a  call 
for  seventy-five  thousand  volunteers  to  serve  three 
months.  Of  course  there  was  great  excitemont  every- 
where, and  all  over  the  North  the  enrolling  of  volun- 
teers began.  The  majority  of  the  people  thought  the 
call  was  for  altogether  too  long  a  time  ;  in  their  opin- 
ion one,  or  at  most  two,  months  would  have  been 
sufficient. 


Lincoln's  election.  157 

The  whole  North  was  on  fire.  Every  city  and  town 
and  village  began  to  muster  its  able-bodied  men;  and, 
figuratively  speaking,  the  entire  region  north  of  Mason 
and  Dixon's  Line  became  a  military  camp.  Very 
speedily  the  required  forces  were  raised,  and  the  gov- 
ernors of  nearly  all  the  Northern  States  were  perplexed 
at  the  excessive  numbers  of  volunteers  offered  to  them. 

Let  us  see  what  happened  in  Galena. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  of  election,  a  party  of 
Republicans  gathered  at  the  leather-store,  and  sat  up 
late  at  night  to  learn  the  news.  It  was  pretty  well 
along  towards  morning  before  they  ascertained  that 
Lincoln  was  elected.  They  cheered  loudly,  and  one  of 
them  said  afterwards  that  he  thought  the  noise  they 
made  ought  to  have  waked  up  everybody  in  Galena. 

All  the  members  of  the  Grant  firm  were  at  the  store  ; 
and  after  the  news  of  Lincoln's  election  had  been 
received,  the  Grant  brothers  opened  several  cans  of 
oysters  for  the  entertainment  of  the  party  and  also 
two  or  three  bottles  of  whisky.  Ulysses  helped  his 
brothers  to  entertain  the  party,  but  did  not  take  any 
part  of  the  refreshments ;  he  seemed  as  much  pleased 
at  the  result  of  the  election  as  any  of  the  group  ;  and 
it  was  remarked  by  one  of  those  present,  that  his 
Douglas  Democracy  was  very  thin.  From  that  time 
on  he  was  a  Republican,  though  only  a  moderate  one. 

During  the  period  that  followed  the  election,  Grant 


158  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

took  a  more  active  part  than  before  in  public  affairs. 
He  was  unsparing  in  his  denunciation  of  the  weakness 
and  treachery  of  Buchanan's  administration,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  imbecility  of  the  President  himself.  He 
did  not  look  for  serious  trouble,  but  thought  it  not  at 
all  improbable  that  there  might  be  a  clash  of  arms 
before  an  understanding  was  reached.  On  one  point 
he  was  somewhat  at  variance  with  his  neighbors,  or, 
at  least,  the  majority  of  them.  A  friend  said  to  him 
one  day  that  there  was  a  great  deal  of  bluster  about 
the  Southerners,  but  he  did  not  believe  they  would 
tight. 

"  There's  where  you're  wrong,"  Grant  replied.  "  I 
know  they  bluster  a  great  deal ;  but  when  it  comes  to 
fighting  you'll  find  they  have  just  as  much  courage 
as  anybody  else,  and  will  give  us  all  the  Avar  we  want. 
I  know  a  good  many  of  the  officers  that  Avere  raised  at 
West  Point,  and  they  are  just  as  brave  and  intelli- 
gent as  the  Northern  officers  are.  Don't  make  any 
mistake  about  it;  they  are  Americans  just  the  same 
as  we  are,  and  will  fight  quite  as  earnestly  for  what 
they  believe  is  right." 

And  so  it  was  before  the  war  began,  and  for  the 
first  feAV  months  of  it ;  each  side  overestimated  its 
own  abilities,  and  underestimated  the  abilities  of  the 
other.  Perhaps  the  Southerners  did  more  boasting 
than  the  people  of  the   North ;   and  we  heard  a  great 


WAR   TALK   EVERYWHERE.  159 

deal  about  that  time  of  one  Southerner  being  able  to 
whip  five  Northern  men.  There  was  plenty  of  loud 
talk  of  the  same  sort  through  the  North  ;  but  after 
the  first  few  encounters  in  the  field,  all  this  boasting- 
ceased  on  both  sides,  and  we  never  heard  more 
of  it. 

There  was  war  talk  all  over  the  land,  and  Galena 
had  its  share.  Nothing  practically  was  undertaken 
until  the  firing  upon  Sumter,  when  the  North,  as 
already  mentioned,  rose  to  arms  at  the  call  of  the 
President.  Galena  responded  as  promptly  as  any  other 
town  or  city  in  the  State  of  Illinois. 

Trade  had  been  dull  for  several  months ;  and  when 
on  Monday,  the  15th  of  April,  news  came  of  the 
capture  of  Fort  Sumter,  business  was  almost  entirely 
suspended.  Jesse  Grant's  leather-store  was  the  center 
of  attraction,  and  all  day  long  it  was  filled  with  peo- 
ple. Before  that  time  a  considerable  portion  of  Cap- 
tain Grant's  talk  referred  to  horses  and  the  Mexican 
War  ;  but  both  of  those  topics  were  now  dropped 
entirely.  The  captain  saw  war  in  the  immediate  fu- 
ture, and  said  to  all  visitors  that  the  firing  upon  Fort 
Sumter  settled  the  matter,  and  we  could  hardly  hope 
to  escape  fighting.  And  to  several  friends  he  re- 
marked, — 

"  I  thought  I  had  done  with  military  life,  and  never 
expected    to    go  soldiering  again ;    but  if    nvy  country 


160  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

needs  me,  I  am  ready.  She  educated  me,  and  I  owe 
her  my  services  in  case  of  necessity." 

Placards  were  posted  all  over  town  calling  for  a 
meeting  in  the  Court  House  on  Tuesday  evening,  April 
16.  The  large  hall  of  the  Court  House  was  crowded; 
and  the  chair  was  taken  by  the  mayor,  Mr.  Brand,  a 
Democrat,  who  was  not  at  all  in  favor  of  the  war.  In 
his  opening  speech  he  charged  the  Republicans  with 
having  brought  on  the  trouble  which  then  disturbed 
the  country.  He  said  he  could  not  conceive  of  any  cir- 
cumstance which  justified  the  North  in  making  war  upon 
the  South,  and  he  hoped  that  some  compromise  would 
be   made  that  would  avert  the  threatened    hostilities. 

Among  those  present  at  the  meeting  was  Elihu  B. 
Washburne,  a  resident  of  Galena,  and  the  representa- 
tive in  Congress  of  that  district  of  Illinois.  When 
the  mayor  sat  down,  Washburne  rose  to  his  feet,  and 
exclaimed  with  great  vigor,  — 

"  Mr.  Chairman,  any  man  who  will  try  to  stir  party 
prejudice  at  such  a  time  is  a  traitor." 

The  audience  applauded  loudly  and  long,  and  it  was 
several  minutes  before  Mr.  Washburne  could  proceed. 
He  offered  a  series  of  resolutions  which  pledged  the 
people  to  support  the  Government  in  maintaining  the 
integrit}T  of  the  Union,  and  recommended  the  formation 
of  military  companies  ready  for  any  call.  The  resolu- 
tions closed  as  follows  :  — 


MEETING    AT  GALENA-  161 

"  "Finally,  we  solemnly  resolve,  that  having  lived  under 
the  Stars  and  Stripes,  by  the  blessing  of  God  we  pro- 
pose to  die  under  them." 

The  resolutions  were  greeted  with  loud  cheering ; 
and  when  Washburne  sat  down  there  were  loud 
calls  for  — 

"  Rawlins  !    Rawlins  !  " 

Rawlins  was  a  young  lawyer  born  in  Galena,  and 
owing  his  education  to  his  own  exertions.  He  was 
a  fine  speaker,  and  a  Douglas  Democrat,  and  in  the 
presidential  campaign  of  1860  he  was  the  Douglas 
candidate  for  elector.  He  "stumped"  his  district 
in  behalf  of  his  candidate  during  the  election  cam- 
paign, and  was  considered  one  of  the  best  speakers 
in  that  part  of  Illinois.  His  complexion  Avas  dark, 
his  eyes  and  hair  were  coal-black,  and  he  was  some- 
times playfully  called  "  Indian  John  "  by  his  inti- 
mates. 

A  story  was  told  about  Rawlins  during  the  cam- 
paign that  illustrates  his  keen  and  ready  wit.  On 
one  occasion  he  followed  his  opponent  in  a  debate, 
after  the  Western  custom.  The  latter  had  enter- 
tained the  audience  for  about  two  hours,  and  wound 
up  by  saying  that  he  was  brought  up  in  the  country, 
and  never  went  to  school  more  than  three  months. 
When  Rawlins  arose,  he  began  in  a  droll  way  and 
said,  — 


162  boys"  life  of  general  grant. 

"  My  friend  tells  you  that  he  never  went  to  school 
but  three  months  in  his  whole  life.  The  fact  is,  I 
was  very  much  surprised  to  hear  he  had  ever  been 
to  school  at  all." 

At  the  loud  and  continued  calling  of  his  name, 
Rawlins  edged  his  way  through  the  crowd  and  up 
to  the  platform  where  the  mayor  was  sitting.  With- 
out waiting  for  an  introduction,  and  none  was  needed 
where  everybody  knew  his  face,  the  young  lawyer 
began.  For  nearly  an  hour  he  held  the  audience 
spellbound,  while  he  went  over  the  history  of  the 
past  thirty  or  forty  years,  so  far  as  the  relations 
between  the  slave  States  and  the  free  States  were 
concerned.  He  briefly  reviewed  the  history  of  the 
Missouri  compromise,  the  annexation  of  Texas,  the 
war  with  Mexico,  and  the  Kansas-Nebraska  Bill.  As 
he  went  on,  his  voice  rose  higher  and  higher  until  it 
was  audible  bevond  the  walls  of  the  building.  As 
he  neared  the  end  of  his  speech  his  voice  seemed 
to  ring  out  like  a  trumpet  as  he  uttered  the  clos- 
ing words  :  — 

"  I  have  been  a  Democrat  all  my  life  ;  but  this  is 
no  longer  a  question  of  politics.  It  is  simpty  country 
or  no  country.  I  have  favored  every  honorable  com- 
promise.; but  the  day  for  compromise  is  past.  Only  one 
course  is  left  us.  WE  WILL  STAND  BY  THE  FLAG 
OF  OUR  COUNTRY,  AND  APPEAL  TO  THE  GOD 
OF   BATTLES!" 


MEETING   AT  GALENA.  163 

His  impassioned  oratory  carried  the  audience  with 
him.  Every  man  rose  to  his  feet,  and  joined  in  three 
cheers  for  Major  Anderson,  the  gallant  defender  of 
Fort  Sumter;  three  cheers,  and  three  times  three,  for 
the  old  flag ;  and  cheers  again  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  Union.     The  meeting  then  broke  up. 

Captain  Grant  was  at  the  meeting,  but  took  no 
active  part  in  it.  His  brothers  were  with  him,  and 
on  their  way  home  Ulysses  said,  — 

"  I  think  I  ought  to  go  into  the   service." 

His  brothers  agreed  with  him  that  it  was  his  duty 
to  serve  his  country  in  her  hour  of  peril,  and  told 
him  that  they  would  look  after  the  store  during 
his  absence.  Little  more  was  said  on  the  subject 
that  evening.  The  next  morning  Ulysses  went  to 
the  store  as  usual,  but  found  little  to  do,  as  the 
suspension  of  business  still  continued,  and  everybody 
was  full  of  excitement  concerning  the  war. 


1G4  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Galena  raises  a  company.  —  Grant  drills  and  instructs  the  men.  —  Pre- 
sides at  a  meeting.  —  Writes  to  the  adjutant-general  at  Washington. 
—  Goes  to  Springfield.  —  Enters  the  State  service.  — Military  adviser 
to  the  governor.  —  Colonel  of  Twenty-first  Illinois  Infantry.  —  Ordered 
to  North  Missouri.  —  Light  marching  order.  —  Guarding  railways  and 
bridges. 

Two  evenings  later  a  meeting  was  held  to  con- 
sider the  question  of  raising  volunteers.  Capt.  John 
E.  Smith,  who  commanded  a  militia  company  at 
Galena,  called  the  assemblage  to  order,  and  then 
said,  — 

'kI  nominate  Capt.  Ulysses  S.  Grant  as  chairman 
of  this  meeting." 

The  motion  was  carried,  and  the  captain  went 
upon  the  platform.  A  good  many  people  in  Galena 
knew  him  by  name  and  also  by  sight;  but  of  those 
present  on  that  occasion,  comparatively  few  had  ever 
set  eyes  on  the  man  to  know  him.  He  was  wear- 
ing an  old  army  overcoat,  and  held  in  his  hand  a 
soft  hat  which  had  evidently  seen  a  good  deal  of 
exposure.  As  he  reached  the  platform,  and  moved 
across  it  somewhat  awkwardly,  his  head  slightly  on 
one    side    and    his    shoulders    stooping,    some    of    the 


GALENA  FORMS  A  COMPANY.        165 

audience  manifested  a  feeling  of  disappointment,  and 
one  remarked  sneeringly,  though  in  a  low  tone,  to 
his  neighbor,  — 

"  He  a  captain  !  " 

The  captain  took  the  chair  at  once,  and  proceeded 
to  address  the  audience.  A  curious  thing  is  that 
everybody  who  was  at  that  meeting  says  his  speech 
was  very  fluently  delivered,  and  that  he  showed  more 
coolness  and  composure  in  addressing  the  audience 
than  he  ever  showed  afterward  at  any  public  affair. 
He  stated  briefly  the  objects  of  the  meeting,  and 
referred  to  the  President's  call  for  seventy-five  thou- 
sand volunteers,  of  which  the  quota  of  Illinois  was 
six  regiments.  He  explained  that  the  quota  of  Galena 
would  probably  be  one  company ;  and  then,  in  reply 
to  questions  by  some  of  those  present,  he  explained 
that  a  company  consists  of  one  hundred  men,  and 
a  regiment  of  ten  companies.  He  then  told  about 
the  officers  (three)  of  each  company,  and  the  officers 
(seven)  belonging  to  the  regiment  as  a  whole.  He 
told  about  the  duties  and  pay  of  the  men,  and  the 
duty  and  pay  of  each  officer. 

Half  an  hour  or  more  was  taken  up  with  his 
speech,  including  the  questions  by  which  it  was  in- 
terrupted, and  then  rolls  were  opened  for  the  sig- 
natures of  volunteers.  John  A.  Rawlins,  the  orator 
previously  mentioned,  was  present,  and  suggested  that 


166  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  original  rolls  should  be  preserved,  as  the  sig- 
natures would  be  valuable  in  the  future.  The  first 
signature  was  that  of  A.  L.  Chetlain,  who  after- 
ward became  a  brigadier-general ;  and  some  eight  or 
ten  other  names  were  put  down  that  evening.  By 
the  next  evening  more  than  fifty  signatures  had  been 
obtained,  and  within  the  week  the  whole  number  re- 
quired, one  hundred,  had  volunteered,  and  more  than 
two  hundred  had  been  rejected.  The  company  was 
attached  to  the  Twelfth  Illinois  Regiment. 

Two  days  after  the  formation  of  this  company,  one 
of  Grant's  friends  told  him  there  was  to  be  a  meet- 
ing for  raising  volunteers  at  Hanover  that  evening, 
and  he  thought  they  had  better  drive  over.  They 
did  so,  and  found  that  the  meeting  was  held  in  the 
schoolhouse,  which  was  crowded.  Speeches  were  made 
by  Rawlins  and  others,  including  a  young  lawyer 
named  Rowley,  who  held  the  position  of  county 
clerk.  Grant  was  then  called  upon  to  address  the 
audience.  He  declined  at  first,  but  on  being  pressed, 
he  rose  and  said,  — 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  speeches  ;  that  is 
not  in  my  line ;  but  we  are  forming  a  company  in 
Galena,  and  mean  to  do  what  we  can  to  put  down 
the  Rebellion.  Tf  any  of  you  feel  like  enlisting,  I'll 
give  you  all  the  information  and  help  that  I  can." 

Rolls  were  then  prepared  for  signature,  and  a  good 


GRANT'S    PROPHETIC    VIEW.  16? 

many  of  the  young  men  put  down  their  names.  On 
the  way  home,  Rawlins  and  Rowley  were  in  the 
wagon  with  Captain  Grant  and  his  brother.  Natu- 
rally the  conversation  was  entirely  in  regard  to  the 
war,  and  the  prospect  of  its  duration.  Rowley  re- 
marked that  he  thought  the  seventy-five  thousand 
troops  which  the  President  had  called  for  would  put 
a  stop  to  the  whole  business ;  and  that  as  soon  as 
the  people  of  the  South  saw  that  the  North  was  in 
earnest,  they  would  become  more  reasonable. 

Grant  replied  that  he  thought  the  business  was  a 
good  deal  larger  than  most  of  the  people  believed. 
"You'll  want,"  said  he,  "ten  times  seventy-five  thou- 
sand soldiers  before  you  get  through  with  the  war." 

"  Oh,  nonsense!1'  replied  Rowley;  "excuse  me  for 
ridiculing  your  opinion,  Captain,  but  I  am  sure  you're 
wrong ;  sure  as  can  be.  Make  it  twice  instead  of 
ten  times,  and  we'll  compromise  on  that.  I'll  make 
any  bet  you  please  that  we  won't  need  two  hundred 
thousand  men." 

"  The  subject  is  too  serious  for  a  bet,"  the  captain 
answered  ;  "  suppose  we  wait  and  see." 

Rawlins  then  interposed,  and  suggested,  in  a  jesting 
tone,  that  the  three  of  them  should  raise  a  company 
for  the  war.  Grant  should  be  captain,  and  Rawlins 
and  Rowley  would  toss  up  a  penny  to  determine 
who     should     be     first    lieutenant,    and    who    second 


168  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

lieutenant.  Grant  accepted  the  offer  in  the  same 
spirit  in  which  Rawlins  had  spoken,  and  then  said 
he  thought  seriously  that  he  could  command  a  com- 
pany, as  he  had  already  commanded  one,  though  in 
time  of  peace.  He  told  his  friends  that  he  had 
already  written  to  the  adjutant-general  at  Washing- 
ton offering  his  services  :  as  he  thought  it  was  the 
duty  of  every  man  who  had  been  educated  by  the 
Government  to  submit  himself  to  the  orders  of 
the  nation  when  she  desired  him.  He  added  that 
he  thought  such  men  would  be  needed,  and  he  ex- 
pected  a  favorable  reply. 

The  fact  is  that  no  resjDonse  was  ever  made  to 
Captain  Grant's  letter.  When  it  reached  the  war  de- 
partment, General  Thomas,  the  ajutant-general,  prob- 
ably gave  it  a  hasty  glance  and  tossed  it  aside. 
After  Grant  became  President,  he  caused  a  search  to 
be  made  among  the  files  of  the  war  department  for 
that  letter.  It  could  not  be  found  among  the  regular 
papers  anywhere,  and  General  Grant  concluded  that 
it  might  have  been  lost  in  the  mails  and  never  re- 
ceived. But  a  long  time  afterwards,  an  officer  in  the 
department,  while  packing  up  his  papers  previous  to 
removing  his  office,  found  the  letter  in  an  out-of-the- 
way  place.  It  had  never  been  put  on  the  files  of  the 
department,  and  it  seems  almost  a  miracle  that  it 
ever  came  to  light  again. 


DRILLING  THE   GALENA   COMPANY.  169 

The  Galena  company  was  as  ignorant  of  military 
affairs  as  a  herd  of  cows  is  of  astronomy.  Grant 
readily  consented  to  instruct  and  drill  them,  and  he 
devoted  to  this  service  all  the  time  they  required. 
They  wanted  him  to  be  their  captain,  but  he  declined ; 
and  the  election  of  that  officer  resulted  in  the  choice 
of  A.  L.  Chetlain.  Mr.  Washburne,  a  member  of 
Congress  for  that  district,  as  already  stated,  had  never 
met  Grant  previous  to  the  meeting  in  the  town-hall. 
He  inquired  about  him,  and  came  to  the  leather-store 
one  day  to  see  him.  They  had  quite  a  talk,  in  which 
Grant  said  he  was  not  a  seeker  for  position,  but  if 
the  country  wanted  him  he  was  ready  to  serve  it. 

Washburne  replied  that  it  was  just  that  kind  of 
men  that  the  country  needed ;  then  he  added,  — 

"  The  Legislature  meets  next  Tuesday,  April  23. 
Come  to  Springfield  with  me,  and  I'm  sure  you'll  be 
wanted  for  a  place.  Men  with  experience  in  military 
matters  are  altogether  too  scarce  nowadays.  The 
governor,  I'm  sure,  will  be  very  glad  to  have  your 
help." 

Grant  consented  to  go,  and  from  that  day  on  he 
never  transacted  any  more  business  in  the  leather- 
store.  Up  to  the  time  of  his  departure,  he  was 
constantly  occupied  with  drilling  the  volunteers,  or 
setting  his  own  affairs  in  order  for  an  indefinite 
absence. 


170  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

The  volunteers  at  Galena  had  no  uniforms,  and 
the  ladies  of  the  place  determined  to  supply  them. 
They  had  a  meeting  one  afternoon  at  the  house  of 
one  of  their  number,  and  Captain  Grant  was  sent 
for  to  tell  them  about  the  uniform  of  the  soldiers 
in  the  infantry.  The  principal  tailor  of  Galena  was 
also  present;  and  the  captain  explained  to  the  assem- 
blage all  the  details  of  the  uniform,  the  color  of  the 
cloth,  and  everything  about  it.  Cloth  was  procured, 
and  through  the  aid  of  the  tailor  the  uniforms  were 
properly  designed  and  cut.  Feminine  hands  sewed 
them  together,  and  when  they  were  completed  and 
donned  they  looked  very  well  indeed.  Captain  Grant 
did  not  have  an  opportunity  to  see  them,  as  they 
were  not  finished  until  after  his  departure  for  Spring- 
field, the  capital  of  Illinois. 

On  reaching  Springfield,  Grant  went  to  one  of  the 
hotels  with  Washburne  ;  and  as  soon  as  he  was 
lodged  there,  he  accompanied  his  friend  to  call  upon 
the  governor.  They  had  a  short  interview  with 
Governor  Yates,  and  also  with  Capt.  John  Pope, 
who  afterwards  rose  to  the  rank  of  major-general. 
There  was  much  confusion  in  Springfield,  and  every- 
thing seemed  to  be  in  a  state  of  chaos. 

Washburne  and  other  Republicans  from  the  Ga- 
lena region  urged  the  governor  to  give  Grant  an 
appointment   at   once ;    but   there  was   much  political 


GRANT   SEES   THE   GOVERNOR.  171 

pressure  from  all  parts  of  the  State,  and  a  great 
scramble  for  office.  Consequently  the  governor  hes- 
itated ;  and  after  a  few  days,  Grant  said  to  Wash- 
burne,  — 

"I  think  I'll  go  home  to-morrow.  I'm  no  office- 
seeker  ;  and  I  see  that  nothing  can  be  done  here 
without  crowding  and  pushing,  to  which  I  am  very 
much  averse.  I  might  loiter  around  here  for  months 
and  accomplish  nothing." 

Washburne  persuaded  him  to  remain  a  little  longer ; 
and  so  he  was  kept  on  for  several  days,  repeatedly 
declaring  that  he  would  return  to  Galena,  and  as 
often  being  persuaded  by  Washburne  and  the  rest 
to  wait  a  little  longer. 

Governor  Yates  was  entirely  ignorant  of  military 
matters,  and  it  was  suggested  that  he  take  Grant 
into  his  office  as  military  advisor  and  clerk.  It 
occurred  to  the  governor  that  this  would  be  a  very 
good  thing ;  and  after  questioning  Grant  as  to  the 
number  of  men  in  a  company,  and  the  number  of 
companies  in  a  regiment,  he  gave  him  the  appoint- 
ment. It  is  proper  to  say  that  after  asking  those 
questions  and  receiving  the  answers,  the  governor 
remarked  that  he  presumed  the  captain  was  right, 
as  he  did  not  know  himself. 

The  story  is  told  of  a  colonel  of  a  regiment  in 
the   early   part   of  the  war  who  was   drilling   his   men 


172  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

one  day,  and  found  himself  facing  a  fence  which  he 
wished  to  pass.  Pausing  a  moment,  he  gave  the 
following  command,  — 

"  Gentlemen,  break  ranks  and  form  on  the  other 
side  of  the  fence  ! " 

Grant  entered  at  once  upon  his  duties,  and  found 
that  the  adjutant-general  of  the  State  knew  very 
little  more  about  military  matters  than  did  the  gov- 
ernor. There  were  no  blank  forms  in  the  office  for 
the  transaction  of  its  business.  Grant  ruled  sheets 
of  paper,  and  prepared  them  for  temporary  use  until 
the  proper  blanks  could  be  printed ;  and  very  soon 
he  had  the  office  work  fully  systemized,  and  the 
business  running  easily. 

He  was  only  in  the  office  a  few  days  before  he 
was  called  to  more  important  work.  Captain  Pope 
was  sent  away  temporarily  to  Northern  Missouri,  and 
during  his  absence  Captain  Grant  was  put  in  com- 
mand of  Camp  Yates.  He  had  the  title  of  captain; 
but  as  yet  he  wore  no  uniform,  nor  had  he  been 
supplied  with  a  commission. 

One  of  the  first  of  his  duties  was  to  muster  sev- 
eral regiments  into  the  service.  Among  them  was 
the  Twenty-first  Illinois,  which  he  afterward  com- 
manded. 

A  Southern  newspaper  of  May  13.  1861,  had  a 
jocular  paragraph  concerning  the  report  of  "  one  Cap- 


CAPTAIN    GRANT   AND    SIXTY   RIFLES.  173 

tain  U.  S.  Grant"  to  the  governor,  that  the  State 
possessed  nine  hundred  rifles,  of  which  only  sixty 
were  fit  for  service.  The  paper  had  a  great  deal 
of  fun  over  the  possibility  of  the  soldiers  of  Illi- 
nois coining  to  conquer  the  South  with  sixty  rusty 
muskets,  and  led  by  "one  Captain  U.  S.  Grant." 
They  were  not  so  jocular  a  year  or  so  later  when 
the  same  captain  appeared  among  them  wearing  the 
uniform  of  a  major-general,  and  followed  by  one 
thousand  times  more  than  the  bearers  of  sixty  rusty 
muskets. 

Near  the  end  of  May,  Grant  went  home  for  a  few 
days,  and  while  he  was  there  one  of  his  friends 
asked  him  why  he  did  not  apply  for  the  command 
of  a  regiment.  The  friend  thought  that  as  things 
were  ffoing,  Grant  was  as  much  entitled  to  a  col- 
onel's  commission  as  anybody  else,  and  a  great  deal 
more  so  than  some  who  had  received  it.  Grant  hes- 
itated a  minute,  and  then  said,  — 

"To  be  entirely  frank  with  you,  I  would  rather 
like  a  regiment ;  but  there  are  very  few  men  really 
competent  to  command  one  thousand  soldiers,  and  I 
am  in   some  doubt  as  to  whether  I  could  do  it." 

After  Grant  returned  to  Springfield,  there  was 
trouble  in  the  Twenty-first  Illinois  Regiment,  which 
was  then  at  Camp  Yates,  close  to  the  city  :  its  colonel 
was  found  to  be  incompetent,  as  his  habits  were  not  of 


174  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  best,  and  he  could  not  preserve  order  among  his 
men.  The  regiment  was  insubordinate,  and  many  of 
the  men  deserted.  Governor  Yates  wanted  to  appoint 
Grant  to  the  colonelcy ;  but  he  hesitated,  as  he  had 
already  offered  to  recommend  him  to  the  war  depart- 
ment for  a  brigadier-general,  but  Grant  declined,  say- 
ing that  he  did  not  wish  to  be  recommended  for 
office,  but  wanted  to  earn  one.  Fearing  that  the  same 
thing  might  happen  if  he  offered  the  command  of 
the  Twenty-first  Infantry,  he  sat  down  and  wrote  an 
order  as  follows  :  — 

"  You  are  this  day  appointed  colonel  of  the  Twenty- 
first  Illinois  Volunteers,  and  requested  to  take  com- 
mand at  once." 

Later  Grant's  commission  was  made  out,  and  Gov- 
ernor Yates  afterwards  said  that  it  was  the  most 
glorious  day  of  his  life   when  he  signed  it. 

Grant  immediately  assumed  his  new  duties,  and 
found  the  regiment  in  a  chaotic  condition;  the  men 
wore  no  uniforms,  and  most  of  them  were  as  ragged 
as  street  beggars.  There  was  an  insufficient  supply 
of  tents ;  and  as  for  discipline,  there  was  none  of  it. 
They  were  splendid  fellows  physically,  nearly  all  of 
them  the  sons  of  Illinois  farmers,  and  excellent 
material  for  making-  soldiers. 

When  Grant  first  went  to  the  camp  he  was  almost 


THE    TWENTY-FIRST    ILLINOIS.  175 

as  shabby  as  his  men.  He  had  no  uniform,  and  the 
citizen  suit  that  he  wore  was  in  a  very  sad  condi- 
tion ;  the  coat  being  out  at  the  elbows,  and  the 
trousers  very  baggy  at  the  knees,  and  frayed  at  the 
ends  of  the  legs.  His  hat  was  a  little  rusty,  and 
looked  as  if  it  had  done  duty  for  a  season  or  two 
as  a  scarecrow  in  a  cornfield.  No  wonder  the 
soldiers  made  fun  of  him  as  he  went  among  them. 
They  uttered  various  exclamations  not  at  all  com- 
plimentary ;  and  one  of  them,  to  show  his  derision, 
began  sparring  at  Grant's  back,  and  was  pushed  by 
a  comrade  so  that  he  landed  a  slight  blow  between 
the  shoulders  of  his  new  commander. 

The  men  soon  found  out  that  their  freshly  arrived 
colonel  had  a  way  of  enforcing  order  and  discipline 
to  an  extent  that  surprised  them.  The  first  time  the 
regiment  was  called  out  for  dress  parade,  the  day 
was  warm,  and  several  of  the  officers  came  without 
their  coats.  Grant  reproved  them  sharply  in  a  verv 
few  words,  telling  them  that  officers  were  expected  to 
wear  their  clothing  on  dress  parade;  then  he  ordered 
them  to  dismiss  the  men,  and  sent  them  to  quarters. 
A  day  or  two  after  Grant  assumed  command  the 
morning  roll-call  was  an  hour  late.  Grant  sent  the 
men  back  to  quarters ;  and  as  there  was  no  morning 
report,  there  were  no  rations  that  day.  There  was  a 
great  deal  of  begging  and  praying  for  food,  and  the 
nffense  was  not  repeated. 


176  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

At  the  end  of  the  week  the  regiment  had  been 
brought  into  a  very  creditable  state  of  discipline;  and 
in  course  of  time  the  Twenty-first  Illinois  Infantry 
was  one.  of  the  best  regiments  in  the  service-  Grant 
was  severe,  but  at  the  same  time  was  kind  to  officers 
and  men ;  and  all  became  attached  to  him,  as  soldiers 
always  do  to  an  officer  who  "knows  his  business." 
The  regiment  had  been  mustered  in  for  thirty  days, 
and  its  time  expired  about  a  fortnight  after  Grant 
took  command.  Nearly  all  the  men  re-enlisted  for  the 
war. 

About  the  time  that  the  regiment  was  licked  into 
shape,  and  had  been  uniformed  and  equipped,  Grant 
obtained  his  colonel's  uniform,  and  had  bought  a 
horse  and  the  necessary  equipments.  He  had  no  ready 
money,  but  obtained  the  means  for  his  purchases  by 
borrowing  three  hundred  dollars  on  a  note  with  the 
endorsement    of    a    friend. 

There  was  a  p-ood  deal  of  trouble  ail  over  Missouri, 
particularly  in  the  northern  part,  where  Colonel  Harris, 
a  Confederate  leader,  had  organized  a  cavalry  squad- 
ron, and  was  moving  about  the  country  committing 
many  depredations  upon  sympathizers  with  the  Union 
cause.  A  call  came  for  troops  to  be  sent  to  North 
Missouri ;  and  on  hearing  of  it  Colonel  Grant  went  to 
Governor  Yates,  and  asked  that  his  regiment  be  sent 
in  response  to  the  call.     Yates  replied  that  he  had  no 


MARCHING    TO    NORTH    MISSOURI  177 

transportation,  whereupon  Grant  said  he  would  find 
his  own  transportation. 

Yates  ordered  the  regiment  to  Mexico  in  North 
Missouri ;  and  Grant  immediately  hired  wagons  for 
the  baggage,  and  started  across  the  country,  marching 
his  men  all  the  way,  and  declaring  that  was  the  best 
method  of  making1  soldiers  of  them.  The  iournev 
occupied  a  week,  none  of  the  marches  being  very 
long.  The  soldiers  were  inclined  to  commit  depreda- 
tions on  the  way,  but  Grant  speedily  put  a  stop  to 
this  by  punishing  all  offenders.  He  introduced  the 
old  army  practice  of  tying  up  by  the  thumbs,  and 
otherwise  making  those  who  violated  the  regulations 
learn  from  practical  experience  that  army  life  was 
not  altogether  a  picnic.  In  a  very  short  time  plun- 
dering ceased  altogether,  and  the  regiment  was  as 
well-behaved  as  a  Sunday-school  taking  a  day's  out- 
ing. 

Captain  Pope,  now  promoted  to  a  brigadier-general, 
was  commanding'  in  North  Missouri.  He  assigned 
Grant's  regiment  to  guarding  bridges  and  the  railway 
line,  and  making  occasional  expeditions  in  pursuit  of 
groups  of  rebels.  They  had  no  fighting,  however, 
as  they  never  succeeded  in  getting  nearer  to  the 
rebels  than  within  fifteen  or  twenty  miles.  They  had 
a  good  deal  of  marching,  and  were  under  strict  disci- 
pline;    and  a    visitor  to  the  camp  of  the  Twenty-first. 


178  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Illinois  would  have  failed  to  recognize  in  the  well- 
drilled  regiment,  the  disorderly  mob  that  greeted  their 
commander  on  the  day  of  his  first  visit  to  their  camp 
at  Springfield. 

The  Twenty-First  Illinois  furnished  a  considerable 
number  of  officers  out  of  its  rank  and  file  to  its 
own  and  other  regiments.  Five  of  its  captains  and 
lieutenants  became  colonels,  and  one  became  a  gen- 
eral. 


GRANT   A    BRIGADIER-GENERAL.  179 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Grant  becomes  a  brigadier-general.  —  Ordered  to  Ironton,  Mo.  —  In 
command  at  Jefferson  City.  —  State  of  affairs  there.  —  The  border 
States.  —  Grant  goes  to  Cape  Girardeau.  —  His  staff-officers.  —  Pursu- 
ing Jeff  Thompson.  —  Transferred  to  Cairo.  —  Captures  Paducah,  Ky. 
—  Battle  of  Belmont.  —  Driving  the  rebels  and  driven  by  them. — 
Grant's  narrow  escape.  —  Intelligence  of  a  horse.  —  Losses  at  Belmont. 

Before  the  regiment  started  from  the  capital  of 
Illinois  for  the  field  of  warfare,  President  Lincoln 
had  issued  his  second  call  for  troops,  this  time  for 
three  hundred  thousand  men  for  three  years.  Illinois 
had  put  altogether  thirty-six  regiments  in  the  field, 
and  President  Lincoln  notified  the  senators  and  rep- 
resentatives of  that  State  that  he  desired  a  nomi- 
nation of  four  brigadier-generals  in  the  order  of 
their  rank. 

The  Illinois  congressional  delegation  held  a  meet- 
ing at  once  ;  and  when  it  was  called  to  order,  Wash- 
burne  was  the  first  to  speak.  He  said  that  the 
north-west  corner  of  the  State  had  filled  its  quota 
promptly,  and  was  entitled  to  a  brigadier-general. 
He  named  Grant;  and  the  nomination  was  accepted 
by  the  rest.  Then  followed  the  names  of  Ilnrllmt, 
Prentiss,  and  McClernand,  in  the  order  in  which  they 


180  BOYS*    LIFE    OF    GENERAL    GRANT. 

are  recorded.  Altogether  on  that  day  from  the  various 
Northern  States  there  were  more  than  forty  appoint- 
ments of  brigadiers,  Grant  standing  number  seven- 
teen on  the  list. 

Grant  had  not  been  consulted  in  the  matter,  and 
knew  nothing  about  it  until  one  morning  the  chap- 
lain of  the  regiment  brought  him  a  St.  Louis  news- 
paper containing  the  announcement.  He  took  it  very 
unconcernedly,  and  remarked  that  he  supposed  it  was 
Washburne's  work,  as  was  the  case.  The  officers 
and  soldiers  of  the  Twenty-first  Illinois  were  sorry 
to  lose  their  colonel,  and  at  the  same  time  were 
very  glad  of  his  promotion. 

He  remained  with  them  until  he  received  the  offi- 
cial news  of  his  promotion,  and  then  proceeded  to  St. 
Louis  as  he  had  been  directed.  General  Fremont  was 
then  commanding  the  department  of  Missouri,  and 
the  new  brigadier  reported  to  him  at  once.  There 
was  trouble  in  several  parts  of  the  State  south  of  the 
line  of  the  Missouri  River,  and  troops  were  needed 
especially  in  the  south-eastern  portion.  The  Rebels 
were  also  threatening  Jefferson  City,  the  capital  of 
the  State  ;  and  the  commanding  general  remarked  that 
he  wished  he  could  send  General  Grant  in  two  di- 
rections at  once. 

Grant's  first  instruction  was  to  go  to  Ironton,  in 
the  south-east  part  of  the  State,   to  take  command  of 


GRANT    IN    MISSOURI.  181 

the  district.  General  Hardee,  a  Confederate  officer, 
was  at  Greenville,  about  twenty-five  miles  south  of 
Iron  ton,  and  was  reported  getting  ready  to  advance 
northward.  Three  or  four  regiments  of  Missouri  troops 
were  at  Ironton.  They  had  been  enlisted  into  the 
service  for  ninety  days,  and  their  time  had  expired. 
They  had  never  received  any  uniforms,  and  were  very 
much  demoralized.  Grant  took  with  him  several  regi- 
ments, including  the  Twenty-first  Illinois,  which  he 
had  formally  commanded ;  and  on  reaching  Ironton,  he 
sent  the  ninety-day  men  back  to  St.  Louis  to  be 
mustered  out  of  the  service.  Then  he  fortified  Ironton, 
and  began  preparations  for  attacking  Hardee  at  Green- 
ville. 

Before  his  preparations  were  completed,  a  new  com- 
mander, General  Prentiss,  came  with  orders  from  St. 
Louis  to  relieve  Grant.  He  turned  everything  over 
to  Prentiss,  and  took  the  evening  train  for  St.  Louis. 
The  new  commander  of  the  district  stopped  all  the 
preparations  for  attacking  the  Rebels  in  Greenville, 
and  turned  his  attention  to  putting  the  post  in  good 
condition  for  defense. 

Grant  was  ordered  at  once  to  go  to  Jefferson  City, 
where  a  good  many  troops  had  assembled,  and  take 
command  there.  Everything  was  in  confusion  ;  and 
Grant  found  that  the  department  commander,  Gen- 
eral Fr6mont,  had  authorized  men  to  raise  regiments, 


182  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

battalions,  or  companies  with  the  promise  that  they 
should  receive  commissions  according  to  the  number 
of  men  they  obtained.  By  the  laws  of  Congress  then 
in  force,  all  troops  raised  at  that  time  were  enlisted 
for  not  less  than  three  years ;  but  the  men  then  being- 
gathered  in  Jefferson  City  were  enlisted  in  various 
ways,  some  for  six  months,  some  for  a  year,  and  some 
for  two  years.  Some  of  them  made  the  condition  that 
the  men  they  enlisted  should  not  be  sent  out  of  the 
State,  while  others  were  to  go  wherever  wanted.  Most 
of  the  volunteers  they  obtained  were  from  the  regi- 
ments then  in  the  State  capital.  The  men  were  de- 
serting from  these  regiments,  and  becoming  new 
recruits,  although  they  were  already  enlisted  for  three 
years. 

There  was  a  degree  of  familiarity  between  officers 
and  men  in  some  of  these  new  regiments  that  must 
have  grated  harshly  on  the  nerves  of  a  man  of  Grant's 
experience.  While  he  was  stopping  for  a  moment 
near  a  colonel's  tent,  he  saw  the  sentry  who  was  on 
duty  before  it,  pause  suddenly  in  his  pacing  back 
and  forth  in  front  of  it  and  then  approach  the  open- 
ing in  the  tent.  Then  he  placed  his  face  close  to 
the    opening,  and  called  out,  — 

"John,  give  me  a  chaw  of  terbaker." 

Thus  summoned,  the  colonel  stepped  to  the  fron* 
of  the  tent  and  proffered  the  desired  kk  chaw." 


UNION    REFUGEES.  183 

One  day  while  it  was  raining,  another  soldier  who 
was  on  sentry  duty  sent  to  his  colonel  for  an  umbrella  ! 

The  city  was  full  of  Union  refugees  who  had  been 
driven  from  their  homes  by  wandering  bands  of  Rebels, 
and  compelled  to  take  shelter  under  guard  of  the 
Union  troops.  They  were  in  a  great  state  of  des- 
titution, as  they  had  fled  hastily  with  their  wives  and 
children  and  with  only  such  property  as  they  could 
throw  into  their  wagons,  leaving  everything  else  to 
be  seized  and  stolen  by  their  Rebel  neighbors.  They 
lived  in  their  wagons,  or  in  tents,  or  in  any  shelter 
they  could  find ;  and  if  the  Government  had  not  sup- 
plied them  with  food,  many  would  have  died  of  star- 
vation. 

Even  as  it  was,  death  caused  great  havoc  among 
the  women  and  children,  and  was  by  no  means  absent 
among  the  men.  They  had  lost  their  homes  solely 
because  they  sympathized  with  the  Union.  All  over 
the  State,  and  for  the  matter  of  that,  all  through  the 
Southern  States,  the  life  of  a  Union  man  was  not 
safe  at  that  time. 

Generally  speaking,  the  Union  men  in  the  entire 
State  of  Missouri,  and  throughout  all  the  border  States, 
were  quiet  and  law-abiding,  while  those  who  sym- 
pathized with  the  South  were  aggressive,  tyrannical, 
and  law-defying.  Bands  of  Rebel  raiders  were  con- 
stantly moving  about  the  country  terrorizing  the  Union 


184  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

inhabitants ;  and  in  places  where  Unionists  outnum- 
ered  the  Secessionists  four  to  one,  the  latter  were  con- 
stantly appealing  to  the  Government  for  protection. 
Now  and  then  there  were  cases  where  Unionists  drove 
Secessionists  from  their  homes  ;  but  for  one  instance 
of  this  sort  there  were  a  hundred  where  the  situation 
was  just  the  reverse. 

General  Grant  stopped  the  recruiting  in  Jefferson 
City,  and  gave  instructions  that  the  immediate  wants 
of  the  refugees  should  be  supplied.  He  received 
orders  to  fit  out  an  expedition  to  Lexington,  Boone- 
ville,  and  some  other  towns,  to  take  possession  of  the 
money  in  the  banks  and  send  it  to  St.  Louis,  in 
order  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
Rebels.  It  took  him  several  days  to  get  his  troops  in 
readiness,  and  gather  the  wagons  necessary  for  transpor- 
tation purposes.  The  day  before  the  one  he  had  fixed 
for  starting,  he  was  relieved  of  his  command  by  Col- 
onel Jefferson  Davis,  and  ordered  to  report  imme- 
diately at  St.  Louis  for  special  orders. 

Colonel  Davis  arrived  just  one  hour  before  the  train 
was  to  start  for  St.  Louis.  General  Grant  hastily 
turned  over  everything  to  his  successor,  and  started 
for  St.  Louis,  leaving  his  staff-officer,  Capt.  C.  B. 
Lagow,  the  only  one  that  had  yet  reported  for  duty, 
to  follow  the  next  day  with  his  personal  baggage  and 
the  headquarters '  material.     On  reaching  St.  Louis,  he 


AT   CAPE   GIRARDEAU,   MO.  185 

went  at  once  to  department  headquarters  and  obtained 
his  special  orders,  which  were  to  take  command  of  the 
south-eastern  district  of  Missouri,  and  proceed  there 
the  next  day. 

Before  leaving  St.  Louis  he  appointed  Capt.  W.  S. 
Hillyer  to  his  staff;  and  in  the  afternoon  with  his 
two  officers  he  embarked  on  the  steamer  Louisiana 
for  his  destination.  He  had  already  invited  John  A. 
Rawlins,  the  young  orator  who  has  been  mentioned 
elsewhere,  to  a  position  on  his  staff ;  but  Rawlins  had 
not  yet  arrived,  though  he  came  soon  after,  and  joined 
his  chief  at  his  new  headquarters.  Hillyer  and  Lagow 
each  remained  for  a  year  or  more  with  General  Grant ; 
and  Rawlins  was  with  him  all  through  the  war,  and 
until  after  Grant  became  President.  He  was  secretary 
of  war  during  Grant's  first  term  as  President,  until 
his  death  in  September,  1869. 

Grant's  new  post  was  at  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo.  ;  and 
he  had  command  of  the  whole  of  south-eastern  Mis- 
souri and  the  southern  part  of  Illinois.  The  journey 
from  St.  Louis  to  Cape  Girardeau,  at  the  time  General 
Grant  went  to  take  his  new  command,  is  a  memorable 
one  for  the  author  of  this  volume,  as  lie  was  a 
passenger  on  the  same  steamer ;  and  the  occasion 
was  the  first  on  which  he  met  General  Grant,  and 
formed  an  acquaintance  which  lasted  many  years. 
The    author   was    then    a   correspondent   of    the    New 


186  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

York  Herald,  and  in  the  afternoon  on  the  way 
down  the  river  he  was  introduced  to  the  general. 
During  the  evening  he  wrote  a  letter  describing  the 
state  of  affairs  in  south-eastern  Missouri,  and  closed  it 
with  an  account  of  his  interview  with  the  new  com- 
mander. It  was  the  first  interview  with  General 
Grant,  and  the  first  description  of  his  personal  ap- 
pearance, that  ever  appeared  in  any  newspaper.  The 
following  is  an  extract  from  that,  letter :  — 

"  The  general  is  decidedly  unmartial  in  appearance, 
and  would  be  the  last  man  among  the  twenty  occupants 
of  the  cabin  who  would  be  selected  as  superior  officer 
of  all.  He  is  about  forty-five  years  of  age,  not  more 
than  five  feet  eight  inches  in  height,  and  of  ordinary 
frame,  with  a  slight  tendency  to  corpulency.  The  ex- 
pression of  his  face  is  pleasant,  and  a  smile  is  almost 
continually  playing  around  his  eyes  .  .  .  thus  much  I 
have  said  concerning  him,  as  it  is  possible  he  may  figure 
prominently  in  action  before  many  weeks." 

The  Rebel  troops  in  south-east  Missouri  at  that  time 
were  under  the  command  of  General  Jeff  Thompson. 
His  first  name  was  Jefferson.  Naturally  enough  when 
he  was  a  boy  it  had  been  abbreviated  to  "Jeff;"  and 
the  abbreviation  adhered  to  him  all  through  life.  If 
any  one  had  spoken  of  him  as  Jefferson  Thompson, 
it  is  doubtful  if  the  listener  would  have  identified  the 
individual  intended  ;  but  as  "Jeff  "  he  was  known  from 


MRS.  selvidge's  PIE.  187 

one  end  of  the  State  of  Missouri  to  the  other.  He 
was  a  very  active  partisan  ranger,  and  a  goodly  number 
of  expeditions  for  his  capture  were  sent  out  unsuccess- 
fully. He  was  caught  at  last  through  over-confidence 
in  his  ability  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  his  pursuers. 

Grant  went  in  pursuit  of  Thompson,  but  failed  to 
catch  him.  On  the  march  towards  the  place  where 
Thompson  was  supposed  to  be,  the  advance  was  led 
by  an  Illinois  lieutenant  with  eight  mounted  men. 
Provisions  were  scarce  ;  and  at  a  house  where  he 
stopped  to  get  something  to  eat  the  lieutenant  thought 
that  he  could  help  matters  along  by  announcing  that 
he  was  General  Grant  and  the  men  with  him  were  his 
staff.  He  obtained  a  good  meal  for  himself  and  party, 
and  when  he  offered  to  settle  was  told  that  there  was 
nothing  to  pay. 

When  General  Grant  came  along  he  was  impressed 
by  the  appearance  of  the  same  house,  and  riding  up 
to  the  fence  in  front  he  asked  if  they  could  cook  him 
a  meal. 

"No,"  said  a  woman  in  a  gruff  voice;  "General 
Grant  and  his  staff  have  been  here  and  eaten  every- 
thing in  the  house  except  one  pumpkin-pie." 

Grant  smiled,  and  asked  the  woman  what  her  name 
was. 

"  Selvidge,"  was  the  reply. 

"Keep  that  pie  till  I   send  an   officer  for  it,"   said 


188  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Grant,  tossing  a  half-dollar  over  the  fence,  and  then 
riding  away. 

When  camp  was  formed  that  evening,  orders  were 
issued  for  a  grand  parade  at  half-past  six.  At  the 
time  appointed  the  parade  was  formed,  and  the  adju- 
tant-general read  the  following  order :  — 

Headquarters,  Army  in  the  Field, 

Special  Order  No. 

Lieutenant of  the Illinois  Cavalry,  having  on 

this  day  eaten  everything  in  Mrs.  Selvidge's  house  except 
one  pumpkin-pie,  Lieutenant is  hereby  ordered  to  re- 
turn with  an  escort  of  one  hundred  cavalry  and  eat  that 

pie  also. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Brig. -Gen.  Commanding. 

After  failing  in  his  attempt  to  capture  Thompson, 
Grant  moved  his  headquarters  to  Cairo,  111.,  where 
he  relieved  Colonel  Oglesby.  Grant  was  in  citizen's 
dress,  as  his  brigadier-general's  uniform  had  not 
arrived,  and  Colonel  Oglesby  was  a  total  stranger  to 
him.  When  Grant  entered  Oglesby 's  office,  it  was  full 
of  people  from  the  region  round  about,  and  the  colonel 
was  quite  busy  listening  to  what  they  had  to  say. 
He  did  not  catch  the  name  of  the  new  arrival,  and 
was  very  much  surprised  when  Grant  sat  down  at  the 
opposite  side  of  his  desk,  took  a  sheet  of  paper,  wrote 
out  the  order  by  which  he  assumed  command  of  the 


AT   CAIRO,    ILLINOIS.  189 

district  of  south-eastern  Missouri,  and  appointed  Colonel 
Richard  J.  Oglesby  to  command  the  post  at  Bird's 
Point,  which  is  on  the  Missouri  shore  opposite  Cairo. 
He  was  still  more  surprised  when  Grant  handed  him 
the  written  sheet  of  paper,  and  looked  around  as  if 
he  would  like  to  have  some  one  vouch  for  the  writer 
thereof.  But  the  colonel  regained  his  self-possession, 
and  turned  the  post  over  to  his  successor. 

The  new  appointment  gave  Grant  plenty  of  occu- 
pation. The  very  next  day  he  learned  from  reliable 
sources  of  information  that  the  Rebels  had  sent  an 
expedition  from  Columbus,  Ky.,  twenty  miles  below 
Cairo,  to  take  possession  of  Paducah  in  the  same 
State,  about  fifty  miles  up  the  Ohio  River.  Grant 
immediately  telegraphed  the  information  to  General 
Fremont,  and  said  that  unless  he  received  orders  to 
the  contrary,  he  should  take  possession  of  Paducah 
at  once.  There  were  plenty  of  steamboats  at  Cairo; 
and  he  immediately  ordered  troops  on  board  of  them, 
and  also  ordered  the  boats  to  get  up  steam. 

Hearing  nothing  from  headquarters  at  St.  Louis, 
he  started  at  midnight,  reached  Paducah  at  daybreak, 
and  took  possession  of  the  town.  The  very  time 
that  he  did  so,  the  Rebel  troops  which  had  marched 
overland  from  Columbus  were  within  ten  miles  of 
Paducah.  Citizens  in  sympathy  with  the  Rebels  im- 
mediately went  out  to  inform  the  latter  that  the 
Yankees  were  in  possession  of  the  town. 


190  boys"  life  of  general  grant. 

It  was  a  great  surprise  and  disappointment  to  the 
Rebels,  as  they  intended  to  fortify  the  place,  and  cut 
off  completely  the  navigation  of  the  Ohio  River. 
Grant's  quick  movement  spoiled  their  plans,  and 
there  was  nothing  for  them  to  do  but  go  back  to 
Columbus.  The  general  commanding  the  Rebels  had 
come  in  advance  of  his  column,  and  was  actually 
at  one  side  of  the  town  while  the  national  troops 
were  entering  at  the  other. 

The  people  of  Paducah  were  generally  in  sympathy 
with  the  Rebels,  and  had  been  told  that  they  would 
be  slaughtered  if  the  Yankees  came  to  the  place. 
Consequently  there  was  the  wildest  excitement  when 
the  first  of  the  Northern  regiments  stepped  upon  the 
landing ;  and  many  citizens  fled  to  the  surrounding 
hills  with  their  wives  and  children,  leaving  their 
houses  to  the  mercy  of  the  dreaded  invaders.  Others 
watched  and  waited,  intending  to  run  away  as  soon 
as  the  murdering  began.  They  were  very  much  sur- 
prised to  find  the  Northern  troops  well  behaved  and 
orderly,  and  concluded  not  to  flee  immediately. 

During  the  day  General  Grant  issued  a  printed 
proclamation,  assuring  the  people  that  their  lives  and 
property  were  safe,  and  advising  them  to  remain 
peaceably  at  their  homes.  He  told  them  they  could 
continue  their  usual  occupation  without  any  hin- 
drance whatever,  providing  they  held   no   communica- 


A   NARROW    ESCAPE.  191 

tion  with  the  enemy,  and  offered  no  affronts  to  the 
troops  then  protecting  the  town.  Copies  of  this 
proclamation  soon  found  their  way  to  those  who  had 
fled;  and  within  a  day  or  so  nearly  every  inhabitant 
of  Paducah  was  again  at  his  home. 

Some  of  the  men,  however,  would  not  trust  them- 
selves in  the  hands  of  the  invaders,  or  consent  to 
live  under  the  national  flag.  They  drifted  away  to 
the  South ;  and  such  of  them  as  were  suited  to  a 
soldier's  life  were  very  soon  enrolled  among  the  Rebel 
forces  at  Columbus.  Having  taken  possession  of 
Paducah  and  quieted  the  inhabitants,  General  Grant 
ordered  that  it  be  strongly  fortified,  and  then  re- 
turned to  Cairo. 

About  that  time  General  Fremont  made  arrange- 
ments for  the  exchange  of  some  prisoners,  —  princi- 
pally inhabitants  of  St.  Louis  who  had  been  captured 
at  Camp  Jackson  in  the  early  part  of  the  preced- 
ing May ;  and  General  Grant  was  ordered  to  allow 
them  to  go  south  through  his  lines  whenever  they 
appeared  with  the  proper  passes  from  department 
headquarters.  He  was  personally  acquainted  with 
many  of  these  men,  and  usually  had  a  pleasant  word 
with  them  for  old  acquaintance  sake. 

One  day  while  Major  Barrett,  one  of  the  exchanged 
prisoners,  was  in  his  office,  something  was  said  by  the 
general  to  one  of  his  aids  about  going  the  next  day 


192  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

to  Cape  Girardeau,  to  inspect  the  troops  there.  For 
some  reason  the  general  did  not  go ;  but  when  the 
steamboat  on  which  he  had  expected  to  go  was 
ascending  the  Mississippi  River  in  the  direction  of 
Cape  Girardeau,  a  Rebel  battery  opened  fire  on  it 
from  the  Missouri  shore,  and  compelled  it  to  make 
a  landing.  As  it  did  so,  this  same  Major  Barrett 
with  a  squad  of  Rebels  came  on  board,  and  searched 
the  steamer  through  and  through  to  find  General 
Grant.  It  was  very  difficult  to  satisfy  him  that  the 
general  was  not  on  board ;  but  when  convinced  that 
such  was  the  case  he  immediately  went  ashore  with 
his  men,  and  allowed  the  boat  to  proceed  on  its 
course.  After  that  incident  General  Grant  was  very 
careful  as  to  what  he  said  in  the  presence  of  any  of  those 
Rebel  tourists  on  their  way  southward  from  St.  Louis. 
The  strength  of  the  forces  at  Cairo  was  increased 
as  new  regiments  arrived  from  the  North ;  and  by 
the  1st  of  November  General  Grant  had  fully  twenty 
thousand  men  at  his  immediate  command,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  garrisons  of  Paducah,  Bird's  Point,  and 
the  river  stations  above.  Soon  after  taking  Paducah 
he  asked  to  be  permitted  to  make  a  move  against 
Columbus ;  but  before  November  began  the  Rebels 
had  fortified  it  so  strongly  that  it  could  not  have 
been  taken  without  a  long  siege  and  a  larger  army 
than  he  was  then  able  to  bring  against  it. 


MOVEMENT   UPON   COLUMBUS.  193 

The  Rebels  had  at  Columbus  quite  as  many  men 
as  Grant  had  at  Cairo ;  and  the  information  came 
that  they  were  about  to  send  several  steamboats  laden 
with  troops  by  way  of  the  Mississippi  and  St.  Francis 
Rivers  to  reinforce  General  Sterling  Price,  who  was 
said  to  be  advancing  northward  in  the  direction  of  Lex- 
ington and  Jefferson  City.  General  Fremont  desired 
to  detain  these  Rebel  troops  in  Columbus,  and  ordered 
General  Grant  to  make  demonstrations  that  would 
carry  out  this  object.  Accordingly,  General  Grant 
prepared  an  expedition  to  go  down  the  river  and 
threaten  Columbus  in  front,  and  at  the  same  time 
he  ordered  General  Smith,  who  was  in  command  at 
Paducah,  to  move  out  all  the  troops  he  could  spare 
to  within  a  few  miles  of  Columbus,  and  there  stop 
and  await  orders. 

General  Smith  obeyed  the  command,  and  the  move- 
ments were  so  exactly  timed  that  he  left  Paducah  at 
nearly  the  same  instant  that  Grant's  fleet  steamed 
away  from  Cairo  in  the  direction  of  Columbus.  The 
troops  were  greatly  elated  that  they  had  something 
to  do.  They  had  chafed  for  what  seemed  a  long  time 
in  idleness,  and  the  only  unhappy  ones  at  Cairo  when 
the  expedition  started  were  those  who  were  left  behind. 
Everybody  believed  that  the  first  battle  for  the  posses- 
sion of  the  great  river  from  Cairo  to  the  Gulf  was  about 
to  be  fought. 


194  boys'  life   of  general  grant. 

Here  we  may  remark  that  the  people  of  the  North- 
west were  determined  to  regain  possession  of  the 
great  water-way  which  leads  southwards  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  Had  the  Rebels  left  the  Mississippi  open 
to  navigation,  it  would  have  been  far  more  difficult  to 
rouse  the  North-western  people  to  the  high  pitch  of 
excitement  they  had  reached  than  it  was.  In  one  of 
his  eloquent  speeches  made  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war, 
General  Logan  voiced  the  general  sentiment  when  he 
said  the  men  of  the  North-west  would  hew  their  way 
to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  with  their  swords.  The  great 
cry  through  all  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  above  its 
junction  with  the  Ohio,  was  that  neither  the  mouth  nor 
the  base  of  the  great  river  must  be  under  the  direction 
of  any  other  Government  than  our  own. 

The  soldiers  were  greatly  elated  when  they  found 
that  there  was  the  prospect  of  a  battle  ;  and  they  cheered 
loudly  as  the  five  transports  on  which  they  were  em- 
barked steamed  away  from  the  landing-place  at  Cairo, 
preceded  bv  two  gunboats  belonging  to  the  naval 
squadron  of  Admiral  Foote.  When  Grant  started  from 
Cairo,  it  was  not  his  intention  to  bring  on  a  battle,  but 
to  simply  make  a  feint  that  would  cause  the  Rebels  to 
keep  their  troops  in  Columbus  and  not  send  them  away 
to  reinforce  Price  in  Missouri  ;  but  he  saw  that  the 
soldiers  would  be  greatly  disappointed  if  they  had  no 
opportunity  to  smell  powder  after  lying  idle  so  long, 


BATTLE   OF    BELMONT.  195 

and  so  lie  modified  his  plan.  His  original  intention 
was  to  land  on  the  Kentucky  shore  three  or  four  miles 
above  Columbus,  establish  communication  with  General 
Smith's  troops  that  had  marched  out  from  Paducah, 
and,  after  making  a  movement  as  if  to  attack  Columbus, 
return  to  the  boats,  re-embark  his  troops,  and  go  back 
to  Cairo.  On  thinking  it  over,  he  realized  that  his  men 
would  consider  him  timid  and  perhaps  cowardly,  while 
the  Rebels  would  be  correspondingly  elated  at  their 
success  in  frightening  the  Northern  troops  away. 

He  carried  out  the  first  part  of  his  plan;  and  then, 
instead  of  going1  back  to  Cairo  after  re-embarking  the 
troops,  he  crossed  over  to  the  Missouri  side  of  the  river, 
and  landed  his  whole  force  of  about  three  thousand  men 
with  two  pieces  of  artillery.  He  made  a  landing  at  a 
point  about  three  miles  above  Belmont,  which  is  oppo- 
site Columbus,  and  contained  a  Confederate  camp  with 
about  two  thousand  men  and  six  pieces  of  artillery. 
The  landing  was  made  immediately  after  daybreak  on 
the  7th  of  November,  and  in  front  of  a  cornfield. 

There  were  several  fields  and  small  clearings  between 
the  point  where  the  troops  landed  and  the  Confederate 
camp  at  Belmont ;  but  the  most  of  the  ground  was 
covered  with  a  natural  forest.  A  battalion  of  infantry 
was  left  near  the  shore  to  protect  the  transports,  while 
the  rest  of  the  expedition,  about  twenty-five  hundred 
strong,    started    in    the    direction    of    Belmont.       For 


196  BOYS'    LIFE  OF    GENERAL    GRANT. 

nearly  two  miles  they  were  not  opposed;  but  as  soon  as 
the  enemy  discovered  their  movements  they  sent  out 
troops   to    meet  the  Northerners. 

Then  the  fighting  began  in  earnest.  None  of  Grant's 
troops  had  been  in  battle ;  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  not 
a  hundred  altogether,  officers  and  men  included,  had 
ever  heard  a  hostile  shot  fired;  but  they  all  stood  up 
like  veterans,  and  won  the  admiration  of  their  com- 
mander. In  his  official  report  he  praised  their  coolness 
and  steadiness,  and  pronounced  them  fully  equal  to 
regular  troops. 

Gradually  the  Rebels  fell  back  to  their  camp,  fighting 
all  the  wajr.  The  Union  advance  was  so  slow  that  it 
took  four  hours  of  fighting  to  reach  the  camp.  The 
Rebels  were  driven  through  their  camp,  and  down  be- 
neath the  bank  of  the  river,  where  they  were  safe  from 
the  Union  fire.  As  soon  as  the  Union  troops  were  in 
possession  of  the  camp,  they  fell  to  plundering,  and 
became  disorganized;  and  we  regret  to  say  that  not  a 
few  of  the  officers  joined  the  soldiers  in  ransacking  the 
tents  for  what  they  contained.  If  a  prompt  demand 
had  been  made  upon  the  Rebels  below  the  bank,  they 
would  have  surrendered;  but  nobody  seems  to  have 
thought  of  that. 

The  battlefield  of  Belmont  was  in  full  view  of 
Columbus.  The  ground  was  high  at  Columbus,  the 
bluff  rising  to  nearly  two  hundred  feet ;  while  Belmont 


AN   AWKWARD   PREDICAMENT.  197 

is  on  the  low  bottom  land  of  the  Mississippi  valley. 
General  Polk  was  in  command  at  Columbus,  and  sent 
over  General  Pillow  with  three  steamboat  loads  of 
troops  to  reinforce  those  who  had  been  defending 
Belmont. 

Finding  they  were  not  pursued,  the  Rebels  who  were 
crouching  behind  the  banks  gathered  fresh  courage, 
and  worked  their  way  along  below  the  bank  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Grant's  transports,  doubtless  with  the  intention 
of  capturing  them,  or  setting  them  on  fire.  They  sud- 
denly appeared  between  the  boats  and  the  Union 
troops.  Grant  had  already  given  orders  to  retire  to  the 
boats,  but  the  men  were  so  busy  with  their  plundering 
that  they  paid  no  attention  to  the  orders.  He  then  told 
his  staff  to  set  fire  to  the  camp,  and  at  the  same  time 
tell  the  men  that  they  were  surrounded  by  the  enemy. 
The  two  things  together  had  the  desired  effect.  The 
plundering  stopped  at  once,  and  the  men  obeyed 
their  officers.     One  of  the  latter  said,  — 

"General,  we're  surrounded  ;  what  shall  we  do  now?  " 

"  Well,"  replied  the  general,  "  we  cut  our  way  down 
here  from  the  boats,  and  we  must  cut  our  way  back 
again." 

"That's  so,"  replied  the  officer  with  a  sigh  of  relief  ; 
"and  we'll  do  it  too." 

Meantime  the  Rebel  forces  that  had  crossed  over  from 
Columbus   had   made  a  landing,  and    were    nearer   to 


198  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Grant's  boats  than  his  own  troops  were.  But  the 
Northerners  fought  desperately,  holding  the  enemy 
in  check,  and  cutting  their  way  back  to  the  transports. 
Grant  had  relied  upon  the  enemy  first  encountering 
the  guard  that  he  placed  for  the  protection  of  the  boats. 
As  he  neared  the  place  where  he  left  them,  he  was 
very  much  surprised  to  find  that  the  guard  had  been 
withdrawn,  and  there  was  not  a  soldier  at  the  position 
where  the  battalion  had  been  posted.  Going  to  the 
boats,  he  found  the  officer  Avho  commanded  the  guard, 
and  upbraided  him  severely  for  his  conduct.  If  the 
enemy  had  known  the  state  of  affairs  they  could  have 
captured  or  destroyed  the  transports  without  trouble. 

At  length  all  the  troops  were  embarked ;  and  the 
wounded,  who  had  been  first  taken  to  the  houses  close 
by,  were  carried  on  board  the  boats.  General  Grant 
was  the  last  man  to  leave  the  shore.  He  had  ridden 
out  into  the  cornfield  with  Captain  Rawlins  to  find 
the  position  of  the  enemy.  The  cornstalks  were  so 
high  that  men  on  horseback  could  hardly  see  over 
them,  and  they  quite  concealed  a  man  on  foot.  Sud- 
denly General  Grant  caught  sight  of  a  body  of 
marching  troops  not  more  than  fifty  yards  away,  and 
moving  at  that  moment  parallel  to  the  river  and  in 
about  the  same  direction  that  he  was  going.  In  a 
low  voice  he  told  Rawlins  to  go  in  the  direction  of  the 
transports,   but  to   keep    at   a   walk    until    he   got    out 


grant's  narrow  escape.  199 

of  sight  of  the  enemy.  Rawlins  obeyed  the  in- 
structions, and  moved  quietly  away.  Grant's  uniform 
was  concealed  by  a  common  army  overcoat  such  as  the 
soldiers  wear ;  and  it  was  this  circumstance  that  saved 
his  life.  It  afterwards  turned  out  that  General 
Polk  with  two  of  his  staff-officers  were  riding  at  the 
head  of  the  column  which  Grant  saw ;  and  the  general 
said    to    his    men, — 

"There's  a  Yank;  you  can  try  your  skill  on  him 
if  you    like." 

Nobody  seemed  to  think  it  worth  his  while  to  take 
a  shot  at  the  common  Yankee  soldier,  as  he  appeared 
to    be ;   and    so    the    commander    escaped. 

Rawlins  reached  the  boats  three  or  four  minutes  in 
advance  of  the  general ;  and  as  he  went  on  board,  the 
gang-plank  was  drawn  in,  and  the  steamer  moved  away. 
Grant  reached  the  river  at  a  point  a  little  lower  down, 
where  another  boat  was  lying ;  this  also  had  got  ready 
to  start,  her  plank  being  in,  and  her  wheels  turning. 
Somebody  recognized  the  general,  and  told  the  captain 
of  the  boat.  The  latter  swung  her  up  to  the  shore 
again,    and    put    out  a    single    plank. 

The  intelligence  of  a  horse  this  time  saved  the 
commander-in-chief.  The  Mississippi  River  is  usually 
very  low  in  November;  and  on  the  day  of  the  battle 
of  Belmont  it  was  eight  or  ten  feet  below  the  bank, 
which  at  that  time  was  a  good  deal  steeper  than    the 


200  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

roof  of  an  ordinary  house.  Grant's  horse  took  in  the 
situation  at  once.  He  brought  his  feet  together,  slid 
down  the  bank,  and  trotted  on  board  the  boat  on  a 
single  plank,  about  fifteen  inches  wide,  which  had  been 
run    out    for    his    accommodation. 

By  the  time  the  boats  got  away,  the  Rebels  reached 
the  bank  of  the  river  and  fired  heavy  volleys  at  the 
departing  transports.  They  were  so  high  up  that 
nearly  all  the  shots  went  above  the  soldiers'  heads. 
Nobody  on  the  transports  was  killed,  and  only  three 
were  wounded.  The  gunboats  at  this  time  opened 
fire  on  the  Confederates,  and  did  some  execution ; 
and  the  soldiers  on  the  transports  kept  up  an  active 
fusillade    as  long    as   they    were    in    range. 

The  Union  loss  at  Belmont  was  four  hundred  and 
eighty-five  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing ;  and  more 
than  one  hundred  of  the  wounded  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy.  Our  troops  brought  away  two  hundred 
prisoners  and  two  guns,  and  spiked  four  other  guns. 
The  object  of  the  battle  was  fully  accomplished,  as  the 
Rebels  did  not  send  away  any  troops  from  Columbus. 
Both  sides  claimed  a  victory  ;  and  so  far  as  the  fighting 
was  concerned  the  Rebels  had  the  better  reason  to  do 
so,  as  they  held  the  ground  after  the  battle.  Their 
loss,  according  to  the  official  reports,  was  between  six 
and  seven  hundred ;  and  the  battle  carried  mourning 
into  many  Southern  families. 


Siege  of  Vicksburg. 


FREMONT   AND   HALLECK.  201 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Fremont  superseded  by  Halleck.  —  Characteristics  of  the  two  men. — 
Fre'mont's  march  to  the  South-west.  —  His  imaginary  foe.  —  Retreat 
to  Rolla.  —  Grant  at  Cairo.  — His  annoyances.  —  Fugitive  slaves,  and 
how  they  were  dealt  with.  —  Union  sentiment  in  the  border  States.  — 
"Winter  of  1861-62.  —  Buell  at  Bowling  Green  and  Mill  Springs.  — 
Movements  against  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson.  —  Capture  of  Fort 
Henry,  and  investment  of  Donelson.  — A  woman's  tongue,  and  what 
came  of  it. 

After  the  battle  of  Belmont,  there  was  a  period 
of  comparative  idleness.  Two  days  after  the  battle 
General  Fremont  was  removed,  and  the  command  of 
the  Department  of  the  Missouri  was  given  to  Gen- 
eral Halleck.  General  Fremont  was  in  command 
just  one  hundred  days.  He  was  very  fond  of  dis- 
play ;  and  although  possessed  of  many  natural  abil- 
ities, he  was  not  calculated  to  inspire  respect  as  a 
military  commander.  After  giving  general  directions 
to  Grant  at  Cairo  and  other  commanders,  he  went 
in  person  at  the  head  of  an  army  about  ten  thou- 
sand strong,  to  the  South-west,  which  he  penetrated 
as  far  as  Springfield.  His  body-guard  made  a  gallant 
dash  at  the  last  named  place,  and  drove  out  the 
small  garrison  that  was  holding  the  town.  Fre'- 
mont's   scouts    reported    that  a   large    army   was   ad- 


202  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

vancing  from  the  South-west ;  and,  according  to  their 
story,  it  was  encamped  on  the  banks  of  Wilson 
Creek,  ten  miles  south  of  Springfield.  Orders  were 
issued  for  the  army  to  advance  and  meet  the  enemy 
on  the  following  day ;  but  during  the  night  follow- 
ing the  issuance  of  the  orders,  General  Hunter  ar- 
rived to  relieve  General  Fremont. 

The  troops  did  not  march  out  on  the  following 
day,  the  order  for  their  movement  having  been  coun- 
termanded at  once.  A  squad  of  cavalry  was  sent, 
however,  and  revealed  the  fact  that  there  was  no 
enemy  whatever  at  Wilson  Creek,  nor  was  there  any 
within  fifty  miles  uf  that  place.  It  was  fortunate 
for  General  Fremont's  reputation  that  he  was  re- 
lieved from  the  command  at  the  time  lie  was.  Had 
he  gone  out  as  he  proposed,  he  would  have  made 
himself  a  laughing-stock  from  one  end  of  the  country 
to  the  other,  and  recalled  to  the  minds  of  many, 
the  old  couplet :  — 

"  The  King  of  France  with  twice  ten  thousand  men 
Marched   up  the  hill,  and  then  marched  down  again." 

General  Hunter  ordered  the  army,  lately  under 
General  Fremont,  to  return,  partly  to  the  railway 
terminus  at  Rolla,  and  partly  to  the  line  of  the 
Missouri  River.  Winter  was  coming  on  ;  and  the 
army    all    along    the   line,   from    the    western    part   of 


PREPARING   TO   ADVANCE.  203 

Missouri  to  the  foot  of  the  Alleghanies,  went  into 
a  condition  of  inactivity.  Though  inactive,  it  was 
not  idle,  as  it  was  occupied  with  preparations  for  a 
general  advance  in  the  spring.  The  war  depart- 
ment had  decided  upon  a  simultaneous  movement; 
but  of  course  the  scheme  was  kept  as  secret  as  pos- 
sible. Even  department  commanders  received  no 
information  beyond  what  was  needed  for  their  own 
special  instruction.  Wagons,  mules,  horses,  and  other 
transportation  material  were  accumulated  in  large 
quantities.  Great  supplies  of  small  arms  and  am- 
munition were  stored  away  and  ready  for  use,  and 
large  contracts  were  made  for  provisions  of  various 
kinds.  This  was  not  only  at  one  point,  but  at  sev- 
eral points ;  and  the  army  contractor  was  exceedingly 
busy  in  the  land. 

Grant  was  greatly  annoyed  by  the  contractors  who 
hung  around  Cairo,  and  were  constantly  asking  for 
contracts  by  which  their  pockets  might  be  lined 
with  money.  Some  were  honest,  but  the  majority 
were  the  reverse ;  and  they  had  varying  degrees  of 
dishonesty,  from  petty  deception  up  to  the  most  un- 
blushing rascality.  Many  did  not  hesitate  to  ap- 
proach the  general  with  proposals  to  interest  him  in 
their  speculations.  All  men  of  that  sort  were  imme- 
diately ordered  out  of  Cairo,  and  were  told  that  if 
they   returned   again    they    would    be    impressed    into 


204  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  ranks.  Grant  was  exceedingly  careful  in  keeping 
his  name  above  suspicion ;  and  the  same  was  the  case 
with  the  officers  of  his  staff. 

On  one  occasion  a  relative  of  his,  who  had  made 
a  bid  for  supplying  a  large  quantity  of  harness,  came 
to  Grant,  and  asked  him  to  make  a  favorable  in- 
dorsement upon  his  proposal,  and  gave  as  his  reason 
for  doing  so  the  fact  of  their  relationship.  Grant 
took  the  paper,  and  indorsed  upon  it :  — 

"  This  man  is  my  cousin,  and  I  do  not  wish  that  he 
should  have  this  contract  at  any  price." 

The  speculators  and  would-be  contractors  found 
that  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  General  Grant's  favor 
by  proposals  of  a  dishonorable  character,  and  they 
took  their  revenge  by  circulating  infamous  stories 
about  him.  They  said  he  drank  heavily,  and  was 
frequently  very  much  intoxicated ;  that  he  neglected 
his  duties,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  staff-officers, 
the  whole  department  would  be  in  a  demoralized 
condition.  The  reports  reached  Washington;  and  they 
became  so  numerous  that  Congressman  Washburne 
wrote  to  Major  Rawlins,  Grant's  chief  of  staff,  ask- 
ing if  there  was  as  much  as  a  grain  of  truth  in 
them.  Rawlins  replied  that  the  only  possible  grain 
of  truth  in  the  whole  story  was  that  one  day  when 
Grant   was  suffering  from  a  chill   lie  took    a  glass  of 


grant's  inebriety.  205 

wine  by  order  of  the  doctor;  on  no  other  occasion 
had  he  taken  a  drop  of  anything,  spirituous  or  vi- 
nous. Before  closing  the  letter,  he  handed  it  to  Gen-' 
eral  Grant  along  with  Washburne's  query.  The  latter 
read  both  letters,  and  then  said,  — 

"  Send  it  along  by  all  means ;  and  you  can  add 
that  whenever  you  see  me  doing  anything  wrong, 
you  will  notify  him  at  once.  Your  interest  in  the 
Union  cause  should  be  far  above  any  personal  friend- 
ship  for  me." 

Several  times  during  the  war,  stories  of  Grant's  in- 
ebriation were  circulated,  and  almost  invariably  they 
came  from  disappointed  speculators. 

Another  great  annoyance  to  General  Grant  was 
the  difficulty  of  dealing  with  fugitive  slaves  who 
made  their  way  into  the  camp.  No  positive  order 
had  been  issued  concerning  their  treatment  by  the 
department  at  Washington,  and  consequently  it  was 
left  to  the  local  commanders  to  deal  with  the  matter 
as  they  thought  best.  General  Butler  quite  early 
in  the  war  had  harbored  fugitive  negroes  in  his 
camp ;  and  it  was  he  who  gave  the  name  "  contra- 
band "  to  the  runaway  slave.  General  Fremont's 
sympathies  were  decidedly  of  an  anti-slavery  charac- 
ter, and  there  was  no  danger  that  he  would  send 
back  any  fugitive  slave  who  got  within  his  lines ; 
but    when    General    Halleck    came    into   command  lie 


206  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

issued  the  famous,  or  rather  infamous,  "  Order  No.  3, 
which   said   that  fugitive  slaves  who  were  allowed  in 
our    camps    carried    information    to    the  enemy.     Con- 
sequently, Halleck   ordered    their  expulsion  and  abso- 
lute exclusion  from  our  military  stations. 

The  lower  House  of  Congress  had  already  passed 
a  resolution  to  the  effect  that  it  was  no  part  of  the 
duty  of  American  soldiers  to  capture  and  return  fu- 
gitive slaves.  Halleck's  order  was  in  direct  defiance 
of  this  resolution  of  Congress,  and  the  ground  on 
which  he  based  his  order  for  the  expulsion  of  refu- 
gee negroes  was  a  false  one.  There  may  have  been 
an  occasional  instance  where  fugitive  slaves  carried 
information  to  the  enemy ;  but  for  every  such  in- 
stance there  were  a  hundred  in  which  they  brought 
information  from  the  enemy  to  the  Union  side.  The 
negroes  all  over  the  slave  States  had  a  pretty  clear 
understanding  of  the  state  of  affairs,  and  they  recog- 
nized that  the  South  was  fighting  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  slavery,  and  the  North  for  its  destruction. 
They  were  ignorant,  and  their  ideas  were  more  or 
less  crude,  and  often  absurd;  but  their  general  under- 
standing of  the  situation  was  rarely  wrong. 

General  Halleck  established  the  rule  that  where 
the  masters  of  runaway  negroes  were  serving  in  the 
Rebel  army,  or  the  negroes  had  been  working  upon 
Rebel    fortifications,     they    need    not    be     sent     back. 


NEGROES    IN    THE    CAMPS.  207 

Very  speedily  this  rule  became  known  ;  and  from  that 
time  on,  every  negro  who  came  into  our  lines,  when 
taken  to  headquarters  and  questioned,  would  answer 
immediately  that  his  master  was  in  the  Rebel  army, 
and  he  himself  had  worked  upon  the  fortifications. 
As  the  Union  officers  were  almost  always  in  sympathy 
with  the  runaway,  he  was  rarely  questioned  any  fur- 
ther, but  allowed  to  go  where  he  pleased. 

There  was  considerable  Union  sentiment  in  the 
border  slave  States,  and  a  good  many  slaveholders 
were  in  the  ranks  of  the  Union  army.  Then  there 
were  a  good  many  Union  men  who  stayed  at  home, 
and  often  gave  valuable  information  to  the  Union 
commanders  concerning  Rebel  movements.  There 
was  one  old  Kentuckian,  named  Mercer,  who  had 
been  imprisoned  as  a  Unionist  by  the  Rebels  at  Co- 
lumbus, and  who  had  repeatedly  given  valuable  in- 
formation to   General  Grant.       Several  of  his  negroes 

o 

strayed  away,  and  he  suspected  they  were  in  the 
Union  camp  opposite  Cairo;  but  when  he  went  there 
to  search  for  them,  he  was  arrested  as  a  spy.  The 
matter  was  called  to  General  Grant's  attention;  and 
after  a  careful  investigation  of  the  matter,  he  gave 
orders  for  the  return  of  the  negroes,  on  the  ground 
of  the  entire  loyalty  of  their  owner,  and  also  be- 
cause of  Halleck's  "  General  Order  No.  3."  The 
negroes    were    given   up;    but    they  did   not  stay  long 


208  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

at  home.  They  took  good  care  not  to  enter  the 
military  camp  again,  and  they  were  not  arrested. 

A  few  days  after  the  Mercer  affair,  a  similar  case 
came  up,  with  the  difference  that  the  owner  in  search 
of  runaway  slaves  was  a  Rebel  sympathizer.  In  this 
case  Grant  decided  that  the  man  who  had  given  aid 
and  comfort  to  the  enemy  had  no  right  to  come 
within  our  lines  for  any  purpose  whatever,  and 
therefore  he  could  not  be  permitted  to  do  so  to  find 
runaway  negroes. 

The  winter  of  1861-62  wore  on  without  any  mili- 
tary movement  of  consequence,  but  with  plenty  of 
occupation,  such  as  we  have  mentioned,  to  keep  Gen- 
eral Grant's  joints  from  rusting.  During  the  winter 
he  went  out  into  Kentucky  with  an  expedition  to 
threaten  Columbus  on  the  one  hand,  and  Fort  Henry 
on  the  bank  of  the  Tennessee  River  on  the  other. 
The  enemy  was  then  occupying  a  line  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  at  Columbus  to  Bowling  Green  and 
Mill  Springs  in  Kentucky.  They  had  strong  fortifica- 
tions at  these  points,  and  also  on  the  Cumberland 
and  Tennessee  Rivers  near  the  State  line,  between 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 

General  Buell  commauded  the  Department  of  the 
Ohio,  with  headquarters  at  Louisville ;  and  opposed  to 
him  was  General  Buckner  with  a  large  Confederate 
force    at    Bowling  Green.     General  Buell  was  prepar- 


MOVEMENT  ON  FORT  HENRY.         209 

ing  to  attack  General  Buckner,  and  rumors  came 
that  reinforcements  were  to  be  sent  from  Columbus 
to  Bowling  Green.  General  Grant  was  ordered  to 
make  an  expedition  into  Kentucky,  as  though  it  was 
a  movement  upon  Columbus  and  also  upon  Fort 
Henry,  but  really  a  feint  to  prevent  reinforcements 
going  to  Buckner. 

Accordingly  he  set  out  in  the  direction  of  the 
Tennessee  River  with  all  the  troops  that  could  be 
spared  from  Paducah,  and  about  ten  thousand  men 
from  his  own  command  to  Cairo.  A  great  deal  of 
noise  was  made  about  the  movement,  the  newspaper 
correspondents  being  allowed  to  telegraph  as  much 
as  they  pleased  concerning  it,  and  the  most  of  them 
accompanying  the  expedition  as  it  moved  away.  It 
was  about  the  middle  of  January,  the  roads  being  in 
a  wretched  condition  and  the  weather  atrocious.  Rain 
was  falling  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time.  The 
soldiers  came  back  from  the  expedition  very  much 
wearied  and  disgusted,  as  they  had  gone  through 
some  very  rough  experiences,  and  in  not  a  single 
instance   had  they  come  in  contact  with  the  enemy. 

But  more  active  times  were  coming.  General 
Grant  repeatedly  asked  of  General  Halleck  to  be 
permitted  to  make  an  attack  upon  Fort  Henry,  a 
strong  fortification  on  the  bank  of  the  Tennessee 
River,  about  fifty  miles  from  its  mouth.     It  had  a  gar- 


210  BOYS'    LIFE   OF   GENERAL   GRANT. 

rison  of  about  three  thousand  Confederate  soldiers, 
and  was  well  equipped  with  artillery.  General  Grant 
believed  that  Admiral  Foote's  gunboats  could  silence 
its  guns,  and  that  he  with  a  land  force  could  then 
take  possession  of  the  fort  from  the  rear.  Halleck, 
acting  under  orders  from  the  war  department,  de- 
clined the  permission  to  move  upon  Fort  Henry,  very 
much  to  Grant's  chagrin.  Of  course  the  department 
was  waiting  for  the  time  of  the  general  advance,  and 
did  not  wish  anything  premature  in  the  movements 
of  any  part  of  the  army. 

Finally,  on  the  1st  of  February,  instructions  came 
for  Grant  to  move  upon  Fort  Henry ;  and  the  expedi- 
tion started  the  next  day.  Grant  had  seventeen 
thousand  men  to  take  up  the  river,  but  there  were 
not  enough  transports  at  Cairo  to  carry  them  all  at 
one  time.  He  was  accompanied  by  Admiral  Foote's 
gunboat  fleet,  but  of  course  the  gunboats  had  no 
room  for  carrying  troops. 

Something  more  than  half  the  force  was  sent  for- 
ward under  General  McClernand,  followed  in  a  later 
boat  by  General  Grant.  The  troops  were  landed 
about  nine  miles  below  Fort  Heniy,  and  then  the 
boats  were  sent  back  to  bring  up  the  others.  By 
the  evening  of  the  5th  of  February  most  of  the 
troops  were  up,  and  the  others  were  on  their  wa}r. 
At    daylight    on    the    6th,    the    movement   began,    the 


CAPTURE    OF    FORT    HENRY.  211 

plan  being  for  the  gunboats  and  troops  to  start  at 
the  same  moment.  The  troops  were  to  surround  the 
fort  in  the  rear,  while  the  gunboats  were  to  attack  it 
in  the  front.  The  fort  contained  seventeen  heavy 
guns.  There  were  seven  boats  in  the  gunboat  fleet, 
and  their  weight  of  metal  was  greater  than  that  of 
the  fort;  but  of  course  the  fort  had  a  great  advan- 
tage over  the  fleet,  as  the  latter  might  be  sunk,  while 
the  former  could  not. 

The  boats  engaged  the  fort  with  great  vigor,  and 
an  hour  and  a  quarter  after  the  first  gun  was  fired 
the  flag  was  lowered,  and  the  righting  ceased. 
Grant's  troops  were  delayed  considerably  in  cutting 
their  way  through  the  thick  underbrush  and  the 
obstructions  which  had  been  placed  to  impede  them, 
and  did  not  arrive  in  time  to  secure  all  the  garri- 
son. The  Rebel  infantry  escaped,  and  fled  across  the 
strip  of  land  between  the  Tennessee  and  Cumberland 
Rivers  to  Fort  Donelson.  At  the  points  where  the 
two  forts  were  placed,  the  rivers  are  within  twelve 
miles  of  each  other;  and  as  the  Union  troops  had 
not  had  time  to  secure  the  road,  the  infantry  regi- 
ments got  safely  away  to  Fort  Donelson.  General 
Lloyd  Tilghman  and  his  staff,  with  sixty  artillerists, 
were  the  only  prisoners  who  were  taken  at  the 
fort. 

It  was  evident  that  the  garrison   had   fled   in    £n-eat 


212  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

haste,  as  it  left  nearly  all  of  its  camp  equipage  be- 
hind. The  camp-fires  were  burning,  kettles  were  boil- 
ing, and  preparations  for  breakfast  or  dinner  were  in 
full  blast.  Letters,  books,  and  packs  of  cards  were 
scattered  about,  and  there  were  pans  of  bread  half- 
mixed,  and  dishes  of  half-prepared  vegetables  and 
other  eatable  things.  Our  soldiers  did  not  allow 
these  good  things  to  go  to  waste  ;  they  were  hungry 
after  their  struggle  through  the  fields  and  forests  be- 
tween the  fort  and  their  landing-place,  and  they 
speedily  satisfied  their  appetites  as  far  as  the  Rebel 
provisions  allowed  them  to  do  so.  Some  of  our  sol- 
diers donned  the  Rebel  clothing  which  they  found  in 
the  camp,  and  made  themselves  merry  as  well  as  the 
limited  facilities  would  allow. 

The  loss  of  life  was  very  small  at  Fort  Henry, 
the  fight  being  entirely  one  of  artillery.  It  might 
have  been  a  great  deal  worse  had  it  not  been  for  a 
woman's  tongue;  and  this  is  the  story  as  it  was  told 
at  the  time  :  — 

When  the  troops  accompanied  by  the  gunboats 
landed  at  the  point  mentioned  below  Fort  Henry,  a 
woman  came  out  of  a  house  close  by,  and  uttered 
a  series  of  savage  imprecations  concerning  the  Yan- 
kee invaders.  She  was  exceedingly  bitter  in  her 
views;  and,  as  one  of  the  officers  said,  "her  tongue 
ran   on   as    if   it   would    never   stop."     After   reviling 


WORK   OF   A    WOMAN'S   TONGUE  213 

the  Yankee  to  her  heart's  content,  she  wound  up  in 
about  these  words  :  — 

"There's  one  good  thing  about  it,  you'll  all  be 
blown  sky-high  when  you  go  up  there  to  the  fort." 

"No,  I  guess  we  won't,"  replied  one  of  the  offi- 
cers. "There's  nothing  to  blow  us  up  except  your 
tongue." 

"  Yes,  there  is ;  and  you'll  find  it  too.  Our  folks 
has  a  lot  of  torpedoes  in  the  river,  and  I'm  going  to 
see  you  blown  sky-high  with  'em  too." 

"Thank  you,  madam,"  said  the  officer.  "We  are 
very  much   obliged  to  you  for  the  information." 

"  Well,  I  reckon  I've  been  talking  too  much,"  said 
the  woman ;  and  with  that  she  went  into  the  house 
and  was  not  again  seen. 

The  hint  was  taken,  and  the  river  searched  for 
torpedoes.  Sure  enough,  the  gunboats  found  that 
the  river  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort  had  been 
pretty  well  paved  with  them,  and  it  took  all  the 
rest  of  the  day  to  find  the  torpedoes  and  fish  them 
up  as  far  as  the  range  of  the  guns  of  the  fort. 
Later,  as  the  battle  began,  the  boats  moved  cauti- 
ously, and  not  one  of  them  was  injured  by  a  torpedo. 
It  is  proper  to  add  that  a  negro  who  had  witnessed 
the  placing  of  the  torpedoes  was  of  great  service  to 
Admiral  Foote  in  pointing  out  their  location. 

Fort  Henry  having  been  taken,  there  was  an  unob- 


■214  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

structed  way  for  boats  up  the  Tennessee  River  to 
the  head  of  navigation  on  that  stream ;  but  it  would 
not  answer  to  proceed  far  up  the  river,  and  leave 
Port  Donelson  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy.  Part 
of  the  gunboat  fleet  ascended  the  river  and  destroyed 
the  bridge  of  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railway  by  request 
of  General  Grant. 

General  Grant's  next  move  was  for  the  capture  of 
Fort  Donelson.  which  had  a  strong  garrison  consisting 
of  nearly  twenty  thousand  men,  with  sixty-live  pieces 
of  artillery.  The  fort  covered  about  one  hundred 
acres  of  ground,  and  was  a  very  strong  position. 
Grant  realized  that  it  was  necessary  to  move  as 
quickly  as  possible  before  reinforcements  arrived  at 
the  fort,  as  the  Rebels  would  be  sure  to  send  them 
when  they  heard  of  the  fall  of  Fort  Henry. 

His  plan  was  to  march  the  troops  forward,  and 
invest  the  fort  in  the  rear,  while  the  gunboats  Avent 
around  in  front  and  made  a  simultaneous  attack. 
He  sent  to  Cairo  for  reinforcements  to  join  him,  so 
that  his  strength  might  be  at  least  equal  to  that 
of  the  enemy.  It  may  be  said  to  be  a  rule  of  mili- 
tary warfare,  that  when  a  fort  is  to  be  taken  the 
attacking  force  must  be  far  more  numerous  than  the 
defending  one  ;  but  here  was  Grant  planning  to  cap- 
ture a  fortification  with  an  army  one  third  less  than 
that  of  his  enemy  ! 


ATTACKING    DONELSOK.  215 

It  had  rained  heavily,  and  the  roads  between  the 
two  rivers  were  practically  impassable.  Grant  waited 
several  days  for  the  waters  to  subside  and  the  roads 
to  get  into  condition,  so  that  the  artillery  and 
wagons  could  move ;  and  finally,  on  the  12th  of 
February,  such  a  state  of  affairs  was  reached.  On 
the  morning  of  the  12th  the  expedition  started  ;  and 
before  noon  the  Rebel  pickets  had  been  driven  in 
by  the  Union  advance,  and  by  the  end  of  the  day 
the  fort  had  been  completely  invested  on  the  land 
side.  The  weather  became  cold,  the  thermometer 
fell  to  ten  degrees  above  zero,  and  the  soldiers  were 
mostly  without  tents,  and  many  of  them  without 
blankets.  Many  of  the  men  were  frost-bitten,  and 
some  died  of  exposure.  There  was  considerable  skir- 
mishing on  Thursday,  but  no  severe  battle.  The 
greatest  sufferers  were  the  wounded  who  were  lying 
between  the  contending  lines  and  could  not  be 
reached  by  either. 

On  the  morning  of  Friday  the  14th,  reinforce- 
ments arrived  under  General  Lew  Wallace,  so  that 
Grant's  forces  were  about  equal  to  those  of  the 
enemy.  The  gunboats  came ;  and  in  the  afternoon 
the  attack  upon  the  fort  began. 

The  position  was  found  to  be  very  much  stronger 
than  that  of  Fort  Henry.  General  Grant  sucrsrested 
that  the  gunboats   should  run  past   the   batteries,  and 


216  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

by  getting  behind  them,  compel  the  evacuation  of 
the  fort ;  but  Admiral  Foote  declined  to  do  so,  as 
he  thought  the  risk  too  great.  That  was  before 
the  lessons  of  New  Orleans  and  Mobile,  which  taught 
us  with  how  little  risk  steam  gunboats  may  run  past 
powerful  batteries.  Had  Admiral  Foote  known  this, 
he  would  no  doubt  have  complied  with  Grant's 
request,  as  a  braver  man  than  he  never  served  in 
any  navy. 

The  batteries  of  Fort  Henry  were  almost  level 
with  the  water ;  but  those  of  Donelson  were  on  a 
bluff,  thirty  or  forty  feet  high.  The  battle  between 
the  fort  and  the  gunboats  was  much  to  the  disad- 
vantage of  the  latter.  After  the  boats  had  been 
under  fire  an  hour  and  a  half,  Admiral  Foote  had 
only  twelve  serviceable  guns  remaining  in  his  whole 
fleet.  His  flag-ship  had  been  struck  fifty-nine  times, 
and  all  his  other  boats  had  received  from  twenty 
to  thirty  shots  apiece.  It  Avas  evident  that  the 
fleet  could  do  no  more  fighting  at  present;  and 
Admiral  Foote  sent  word  to  General  Grant  that 
the  boats  would  have  to  go  back  to  Cairo  for  repairs. 

Admiral  Foote  sent  a  note  to  General  Grant  early 
on  Saturday  morning,  saying  that  he  had  been 
wounded,  not  very  severely,  but  so  badly  that  he 
was  unable  to  walk  ;  and  he  begged  that  the  General 
would    come    on    board    the    gunboat.     Grant   started, 


THE    REBELS    REPULSED.  217 

and  just  as  he  reached  the  flag-ship  he  heard  the 
sound  of  heavy  firing  on  the  right  of  his  line  of 
troops.  He  had  a  brief  interview  with  the  admiral, 
and  then  hurried  back  at  full  gallop  to  the  scene  of 
the  fighting.  The  Rebels  had  massed  heavily  on 
Grant's  right,  opposite  Mc-Clernand's  division,  and  a 
fierce  battle  was  going  on.  McClernand's  men  were 
resisting  with  great  earnestness,  and  the  battle  lasted 
nearly  four  hours.  The  right  wing  and  the  right 
center  were  driven  back  a  considerable  distance ;  and 
if  the  Rebels  had  known  it,  they  could  have  cut 
their  way  through.  Part  of  a  regiment  of  Illinois 
cavalry  was  drawn  up  in  the  road,  but  with  no  sup- 
port on  either  side.  As  the  ground  was  wooded,  the 
Rebels  could  not  see  that  the  cavalry  was  unsup- 
ported ;  and,  as  they  were  wearied  with  their  long 
fighting,  they  came  to  a  halt,  and  then  fell  back  to 
the  fort.  Only  a  little  more  effort  would  have 
carried  them  through  our  lines. 


218  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

The  Rebels  make  a  sortie  from  Donelson.  —  Repulsed  at  a  decisive  mo- 
ment. —  Grant's  discovery. —  Three  days'  rations  in  haversacks.— 
Grant's  movements  on  the  battlefield.  —  Terrible  weather  for  cam- 
paigning.—John  B.  Floyd  and  his  escape.  — General  Pillow.— 
Buckner's  flag  of  truce  and  his  proposal. —Grant's  reply.  — The 
surrender.  —  Excitement  in  the  North,  and  gloom  at  the  South. — 
Losses  at  Donelson. 

It  was  nine  o'clock  when  Grant  got  back  to  the 
battlefield,  and  the  fighting  had  been  momentarily  sus- 
pended. Finding  that  the  enemy  was  heavily  massed 
on  his  (Grant's)  right,  the  general  concluded  that 
the  best  thing  to  do  was  to  make  an  attack  on  the  left. 
While  he  was  conversing  with  General  McClernand 
about  it,  and  making  plans  for  the  attack,  he  heard 
one  of  his  body-guard  say,  — 

"The  Rebels  have  come  out  to  make  a  long  fight  of 
it.  They've  got  three  days'  rations  in  their  haver- 
sacks." 

"What's  that?"  said  Grant,  turning  quickh\  The 
soldier   saluted,  and  replied, — 

"I  was  just  sayin',  General,  that  the  Rebs  were  out 
for  a  long  fight,  and  they've  got  their  haversacks  full 
of  grub." 

"Let  me  see  one,"  said  the  general. 


grant's  discovery.  219 

The  soldier  went  away,  and  returned  in  a  few 
minutes  with  an  empty  haversack  which  he  handed  to 
General   Grant,    and  said, — 

"That  haversack  had  three  days'  rations  in  it,  but 
the  boys  has  eat  it  all  up." 

Just  then  a  group  of  Rebel  prisoners  marched  past 
on  its  way  to  the  rear.  Grant  stopped  them,  and  told 
his  staff-officer  to  examine  their  haversacks.  He  did 
so,  and  found  three    days'    rations    in    each    of  them. 

When  he  learned  this,  Grant  showed  more  excite- 
ment than  at  any  previous  moment  during  the  fight. 
He  said,   with   great   earnestness, — 

"  Men  in  a  fort  do  not  come  out  with  three  days' 
rations  unless  they  intend  to  get  away.  Buckner's 
intention  is  to  cut  his  way  through  and  escape.  We'll 
go  in  and  win  now." 

Grant  immediately  proceeded  to  make  arrangements 
for  an  assault.  He  ordered  McClernand  and  Wallace 
to  be  ready  to  attack  when  they  heard  the  report  of 
Smith's  guns  on  the  left;  and  he  sent  word  to  Admiral 
Foote  to  move  up  his  gunboats  and  make  a  show  of 
attacking,  even  though  lie  didn't  fire  a  shot.  He 
galloped  about  from  one  end  of  the  field  to  the  other, 
and  soon  received  word  that  Foote  would  comply  with 
his  wishes,  and  do  the  best  he  could  with  the  gunboats. 

By  four  o'clock  everything  was  ready,  and  the  attack 
was  made  all  along  the   line,  the   men   going  in  with  a 


220  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

dash.  The  gunboats  fired  at  long  range,  and  on  land 
the  artillery  poured  a  heavy  fire  into  the  fort.  When 
the  right  moment  came,  the  artillery  fire  stopped,  and 
the  infantry  of  Smith's  division  made  a  charge,  and 
after  severe  hand-to-hand  fighting,  gained  possession 
of  a  corner  of  the  fort.  The  fight  ended  with  the 
darkness ;  and  the  Union  forces  held  all  the  positions 
they  had  gained. 

Grant  and  his  staff  slept  that  night  in  a  negro 
shanty  on  the  left  of  the  line  of  attack.  Grant  was 
cheerful  to  the  point  of  elation,  and  said  he  thought 
the  fort  was  as  good  as  captured.  "  We  may  have," 
said  he,  "  an  hour  or  so  of  fighting  in  the  morning ; 
but  there  won't  be  much  more  than  that." 

During  the  night,  all  of  Grant's  general  officers 
called  on  him,  and  the  plans  were  made  for  the  morrow. 
General  Smith  gave  an  account  of  his  charge  upon  the 
Rebel  works,  and  said  that  the  volunteer  troops,  with 
the  Second  Iowa  Infantry  in  front,  fought  as  well  as 
the  best  regular  troops  he  ever  saw.  He  was  proud 
of  his  command,  and  full  of  enthusiasm  concerning 
the  volunteers,  whom  he  had  hitherto  been  inclined  to 
despise.  He  was  ready  to  begin  again  in  the  morning 
just  as  soon  as  General  Grant  desired,  and  was  fully 
confident  that  with  a  little  more  effort  they  would 
bring  about  the   surrender  of  the  enemy. 

The  scene  in  the  Rebel  camp  that  night  was  not  a 


ESCAPE   OP   FLOYD   AND   PILLOW.  221 

happy  one.  General  John  B.  Floyd  was  commander- 
in-chief,  and  he  had  special  reasons  for  being  unwilling 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Union  forces.  Floyd 
was  secretary  of  Avar  under  Buchanan,  and  until 
forced  to  retire  he  was  for  months  doing  everything 
in  his  power  to  help  the  Secession  cause.  He  trans- 
ferred great  quantities  of  arms  and  ammunition  from 
Northern  to  Southern  arsenals,  and  distributed  the 
regular  troops  in  such  a  way  that  they  could  be 
captured  with  comparative  ease  as  soon  as  the  war 
broke  out. 

Floyd  had  committed  treason ;  and  he  knew  that  if 
he  was  captured  he  would  probably  be  tried,  convicted, 
and  executed.  He  knew  that  he  deserved  just  such 
treatment,  and  consequently  he  preferred  escape  to 
surrender.  He  explained  to  his  subordinates,  Generals 
Pillow  and  Buckner,  why  he  should  not  become  a 
prisoner,  and  ended  by  turning  over  the  command  to 
General  Pillow,  who  was  next  to  him  in  rank.  Pillow 
also  declined  to  take  command,  as  he  considered  that 
there  were  special  reasons  why  he  should  not  be  in- 
cluded in  the  surrender.  Floyd  and  Pillow  had  been 
there  but  a  few  days,  Floyd  succeeding  Pillow  but 
two  days  before,  and  Pillow  having  been  in  command 
only  five  days   previous  to  Floyd's    arrival. 

The  command  devolved  upon  Gen.  S.  B.  Buckner, 
who  was  more  of  a  soldier  than  either  of  his  so-called 


222  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

superiors.  Buckner  was  in  command  before  Pillow 
arrived,  and  he  had  the  soldier's  instinct  of  being 
unwilling  to  desert  his  men.  Floyd  and  Pillow  took 
two  steamboats  and  fled  to  Nashville  during  the  night, 
carrying  with  them  about  three  thousand  men.  Gen- 
eral Forrest,  with  a  thousand  cavalry,  waded  the 
stream  on  the  south  side  of  the  fort,  and  escaped. 

Early  in  the  morning,  just  as  daylight  was  break- 
ing, a  negro,  the  private  servant  of  a  Rebel  officer, 
came  to  General  Smith's  headquarters  and  reported 
that  the  Rebels  had  been  going  away  all  along  dur- 
ing the  night.  He  was  immediately  taken  to  Grant's 
headquarters,  where  he  was  closely  questioned,  and 
he  repeated  his  assertion  that  the  Rebels  were  getting 
out  of  the  fort  as  fast  as  they  could  go.  General 
Grant  said  to  him,  — 

"  If  we  go  on  your  information  and  it  is  not  true,  a 
great  many  lives  will  be  lost,  and  we  shall  hang  you." 

"  All  right,  Massa,"  replied  the  negro ;  "  you  may 
hang  me  if  I  ain't  tellin'  the  truf.  I've  just  come 
from  de  fo't,  and  know  what  they's  a  doin'." 

Grant  immediately  sent  orders  to  his  division  gen- 
erals to  get  ready  for  an  assault  upon  the  fort.  He 
told  them  that  it  would  begin  with  Smith's  division, 
and  the  others  were  to  move  as  soon  as  they  heard 
the  sound  of  Smith's  guns. 

The    messengers    with    the    orders    had    been    gone 


PROPOSALS    FOR   SURRENDER.  223 

only  a  few  minutes  when  General  Smith  walked  into 
the  cabin.  He  brought  a  letter  which  had  been 
given  to  him  by  a  Rebel  officer,  who  was  accompa- 
nied by  a  soldier  bearing  a  white  flag.  The  letter 
was  addressed  to  General  Grant,  and  Smith  had  made 
all  possible  haste  to  deliver  it.     It  read  as  follows  :  — 

Headquarters,  Fort  Donelson, 
Feb.  16,  1862. 
Sir,  —  In  consideration  of  all  the  circumstances  gov- 
erning the  present  situation  of  affairs  at  this  station, 
I  propose  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Federal 
forces  the  appointment  of  commissioners  to  agree  upon 
terms  of  capitulation  of  the  forces  and  post  under  my 
command ;  and,  in  that  view,  suggest  an  armistice  until 
twelve  o'clock  to-day. 

I  am,   sir,   very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

S.  B.  BUCKNER, 
Brig-Gen.,  C.  S.  A. 

To  Brig-Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  commanding  United  States 
forces  near   Fort  Donelson. 

Grant  was  shivering  with  the  cold,  and  the  li"fht 
in  the  cabin  was  dim.  Whether  it  was  on  account 
of  the  dimness  or  the  momentous  character  of  the 
communication,  it  took  him  several  minutes  to  read 
it.  Without  saving  a  word  he  handed  the  letter  to 
Smith  after  he  had  perused  it. 


221  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Smith  read  the  letter,  and  then  said  very  emphati- 
cally that  traitors  deserved  no  terms  whatever. 

Grant  called  for  pen  and  paper,  and  writing 
rapidjy,  penned  the  following :  — 

Headquarters,   Army  ix  the    Field, 

Camp  near   Doxelsox, 

Feb.  16,  1862. 
General  S.  B.  Buckner,  Confederate  Army,  — 
Yours  of  this  date,  proposing  armistice,  and  appoint- 
ment of  commissioners  to  settle  terms  of  capitulation, 
is  just  received.  No  terms  except  an  unconditional  and 
immediate  surrender  can  be  accepted.  I  propose  to  move 
immediately  upon  your   works. 

I  am,   sir,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Brig-Gen. 

It  was  from  this  letter  that  the  general  received 
the  name  of  "  Unconditional  Surrender  Grant,"  the 
initials  of  the  two  words  corresponding  with  those 
of  his  name.  The  last  sentence  of  the  letter,  "  I 
propose  to  move  immediately  upon  your  works," 
was  for  a  long  time  on  many  a  lip  on  frequent 
occasions  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
country,  or  at  least  the  Northern  half  of  it.  The 
phrase  was  not  thought  over  or  studied  at  all.  It 
was   penned   as   rapidly   as    the   general    could   write, 


BUCKNER   SURRENDERS.  225 

and  he  suited  the  occasion  to  the  word  by  imme- 
diately sending  two  of  his  aids  to  warn  Wallace  and 
McClernand  to  begin  the  assault  as  soon  as  they 
received  the  signal.  Smith  was  not  in  Grant's  cabin 
more  than  ten  minutes ;  and  he  left  as  soon  as  the 
letter  was  ready,  in  order  to  give  it  to  the  Rebel 
officer  who  would  convey  it  to  his  commander. 

Buckner  did  not  take  long  to  consider  the  matter. 
Within  an  hour  General  Grant  received  from  him 
the  following  communication,  — 

Headquarters,   Dover,  Tenn., 
Feb.  16,  1862 
To  Brig.-Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  U.  S.  Army. 

Sir,  —  The  distribution  of  the  forces  under  my  com- 
mand, incident  to  an  unexpected  change  of  commanders, 
and  the  overwhelming  force  under  your  command,  com 
pel  me,  notwithstanding  the  brilliant  success  of  the  Con- 
federate arms  yesterday,  to  accept  the  ungenerous  and 
unchivalrous  terms  which  you  propose. 

I  am,   sir,  your  very  obedient  servant, 

S.  B.  BUCKNER, 

Brig-Gen.,  C.  S.  A. 

Buckner  in  the  meantime  ordered  that  white  flags 
be  raised  all  alono-  his  front  so  that  there  would  be 
no  more  fighting ;  and  when  his  letter  came,  the 
word  passed  quickly  along  the  Union  lines  that  the 
Rebels   had  surrendered.     The   night   had   been   cold, 


226  boys'  life  of  general  grant 

and  during  a  portion  of  it  snow  had  fallen.  Our 
soldiers  were  exposed  to  the  full  severity  of  the 
weather,  and  the  night  had  been  one  of  suffering. 
All  were  shivering  with  cold  on  that  frosty  morn- 
ing, and  no  doubt  many  a  man  wished  he  was  at 
home  rather  than  in  the  place  where  he  found  him- 
self. But  as  the  word  passed  along  that  Fort  Don- 
elson  had  fallen,  the  severity  of  the  night  was 
forgotten,  and  the  air  rang  with  cheers  which  rose 
along  the  line  from  one  end  to  the  other.  Every 
heart  rejoiced  "with  exceeding  great  joy,"  and  every 
soldier  present  felt  that  the  battle  which  had  just 
been  won  would  live  in  history.  They  had  had  a 
hard  fight,  not  only  with  the  enemy,  but  with  the 
elements :  but  their  losses  and  sufferings  were  for- 
gotten in  the  flush  of  victory. 

Grant  read  Buckner's  second  letter  in  the  same 
quiet  way  in  which  he  had  perused  the  first.  Hand- 
ing the  letter- to  Rawlins,  he  said, — 

"  The  game's  up !  I'll  go  over  and  see  Buckner. 
Come  along." 

Grant  and  his  staff  mounted  their  horses  and  rode 
to  Buckner's  headquarters,  being  guided  there  by  the 
officer  who  had  brought  the  letter.  Grant  and  Buck- 
ner were  well  acquainted,  as  they  had  known  each 
other  at  West  Point,  and  had  afterwards  served  to- 
gether   in    the    army.        It    was   about   breakfast-time 


A    REBEL    BREAKFAST.  227 

when  Grant  and  his  staff  arrived,  and  the  Rebel 
general  asked  them  to  sit  down  to  that  meal.  The 
breakfast  was  not  such  as  one  would  expect  to  find 
at  Delmonico's ;  but  Buckner  remarked  that  under 
the  circumstances,  he  thought  no  apology  was  neces- 
sary for  the  frugality  of  his  table.  One  of  the  staff- 
officers  afterwards  remarked  that  he  thought  he  had 
seen  some  very  bad  coffee  since  his  campaigns  began, 
but  the  Confederate  coffee  surpassed  in  vileness  any- 
thing he  had  ever  before  tasted.  It  should  be  re- 
marked that  the  coffee  of  the  Rebels  was  usually 
quite  innocent  of  the  coffee-bean,  and  was  generally 
made  of  burnt  corn,  with  perhaps  a  little  chicory  or 
toasted  breadcrusts  to  give  it  substance. 

Grant  and  Buckner  shook  hands  in  a  very  cordial 
way,  and  immediately  fell  to  talking  about  the  sur- 
render. Buckner  asked  that  his  men  be  supplied 
with  provisions,  and  that  certain  delicacies  should  be 
given  to  the  wounded  officers.  Grant  immediately 
assented  to  these  requests,  and  also  said  that  officers 
might  retain  their  side-arms  and  personal  baggage, 
but  horses  and  other  public  property  must  be  sur- 
rendered. 

When  these  details  were  arranged,  Buckner  said 
to  Grant, — 

"If  I  had  been  in  command,  you  would  not  have 
taken   Donelson  so  easily." 


228  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"  Quite  true,"  replied  Grant.  "  And  if  you  had 
been  in  command,  I  should  have  waited  until  I  was 
reinforced  before  I  came  so  near  the  fort.  But  I 
knew  Pillow  would  never  come  out  from  behind  the 
works." 

There  was  some  further  talk  on  the  subject,  and 
while  it  was  going  on  General  Smith  arrived.  He 
and  Buckner  were  old  friends,  and  they  shook  hands 
heartily.  As  they  did  so,  Buckner  complimented 
Smith  on  the  splendid  charge  he  made,  to  which 
Smith  replied,  — 

"  The  men  did  magnificently,  but  the  credit  doesn't 
belong  to  me.  I  did  it  by  General  Grant's  orders, 
that's  all." 

As  quickly  as  it  could  be  done,  the  surrendered 
Rebels  piled  their  arms,  and  were  placed  on  board  the 
transports  to  be  sent  to  Cairo  as  prisoners  of  war. 
In  consideration  of  its  gallantry  in  heading  the 
charge,  General  Grant  allowed  the  Second  Iowa  In- 
fantry to  hoist  its  flag  over  the  fort.  By  noon  the 
Northern  troops  had  been  marched  inside ;  and  as 
they  came  from  their  various  positions,  cheer  on 
cheer  resounded  through  the  forest  and  along  the 
banks  of  the  Cumberland. 

Fort  Donelson,  the  fort  on  which  the  Confederates 
had  relied  for  the  possession  of  that  long  line  from 
the  Mississippi  River  to  the  foot  of  the  Alleghanies, 


REBELS    IN    DESPAIR.  229 

had  fallen.  The  fall  of  that  fortress  necessitated  the 
evacuation  of  Columbus  and  of  Nashville,  and  the 
retiring  of  the  Confederate  line  a  hundred  or  more 
miles  to  the  south. 

The  capture  of  the  fort  was  a  terrible  blow  to  the 
Confederate  power ;  and  there  was  consternation  all 
through  the  Southern  States,  and  especially  at  Rich- 
mond, the  capital  of  the  Confederacy.  The  conster- 
nation was  made  greater  than  it  might  have  been  by 
the  folly  of  General  Pillow,  who  continued  to  send 
encouraging  dispatches  down  to  the  very  moment 
when  he  fled  towards  Nashville.  At  the  very  hour 
that  the  surrender  was  going  on,  the  papers  of  Nashville 
were  printing  the  news  with  the  following  headlines :  — 

"  ENEMY      RETREATING  GLORIOUS       RESULT  —  OUR      BOYS 

FOLLOWING,      AND       PEPPERING       THEIR     REAR  A       COMPLETE 

VICTORY." 

An  hour  or  two  later,  when  every  one  was  exult- 
ing over  the  success  of  the  Southern  arms,  news 
came  of  the  surrender,  and  the  rejoicing  was  in- 
stantly changed  to  mourning.  There  was  a  wild 
panic  in  Nashville,  as  it  was  well  understood  that 
the  capture  of  Donelson  opened  the  way  to  that 
city.  Service  had  just  begun  in  the  churches,  but 
it  was  immediately  suspended ;  and  men,  women, 
and  children  sought  to  leave  the  city  as  quickly  as 


230  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

possible.  The  railway  trains  were  crowded,  and  the 
hire  of  carriages  rose  to  twenty-five  dollars  an  hour. 
"  It's  an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  any  good ; " 
the  hackmen  of  Nashville  reaped  a  rich  harvest  in 
the   general  consternation   that  prevailed. 

The  mourning  of  the  South  was  as  great  over  the 
loss  of  Donelson  as  was  the  rejoicing  in  the  North. 
In  nearly  all  the  Northern  cities  business  was  sus- 
pended, schools  were  dismissed,  all  the  church  bells 
were  ringing,  men  embraced  each  other  in  the 
streets,  crowds  gathered  at  every  newspaper  bulletin, 
"  extras  "  sold  enormously  and  at  any  price  the  news- 
boys chose  to  ask,  and  the  whole  population  gave 
itself  up  to  unlimited  and  tumultuous  joy.  Chicago 
went  fairly  wild  with  delight,  as  it  had  a  nearer  and 
more  practical  interest  in  the  fall  of  Donelson  than 
had  the  Eastern  States.  Very  little  business  was 
transacted  in  Chicago  for  twenty-four  hours  after  the 
news  of  Donelson  came,  with  the  single  exception 
of  the  saloons.  Men  felt  that  they  must  have  some- 
thing to  celebrate  upon,  and  they  took  the  readiest 
means  which  occurs  to  convivial  minds.  During  the 
afternoon  a  placard  was  widely  posted  on  the  dead  walls 
of  Chicago,  on  which  was  printed  in  glaring  letters  :  — 

"  ANY  MAN  FOUND  SOBER  AFTER 
SIX  o'clock  THIS  EVENING  WILL  BE 
ARRESTED    FOR    DISLOYALTY." 


STATISTICS    OF    FORT   UONELSON.  231 

History  doesn't  record  that  any  arrests  for  dis- 
loyalty were  made  that  evening  in  Chicago. 

Immediately  after  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  troops 
were  sent  out  to  bury  the  dead  and  bring  in  the 
wounded,  each  side  looking  out  for  its  own.  There 
can  be  little  doubt  that  in  going  back  and  forth 
through  the  Union  lines  in  this  work  of  humanity, 
many  of  the  Rebels  embraced  the  opportunity  to 
escape,  as  it  would  be  practically  impossible  for  the 
Northern  soldiers  to  prevent  them  from  doing  so.  A 
good  many  Rebel  soldiers  went  to  General  Grant  and 
asked  permission  to  go  home,  promising  that  they 
would  never  be  found  in  the  Confederate  ranks  again. 
He  allowed  them  to  go,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  majority  of  them  intended  to  keep  their 
promise.  But  necessity,  according  to  the  old  adage, 
"  knows  no  law ;  "  and  probably  the  Southern  conscrip- 
tion forced  them  once  more  into  service. 

The  actual  number  of  men  who  defended  Fort 
Donelson,  or  who  were  in  it  when  the  fighting  began, 
will  never  be  known  exactly.  The  Southern  writers 
say  that  there  were  17,000  men  in  Donelson  when 
Grant  landed  his  troops  below  the  fort.  But  this 
figure  is  too  low ;  as  14,623  Donelson  prisoners  passed 
Cairo,  and  received  rations  there  from  the  commis- 
sary-general. General  Pillow  reported  2,000  killed 
and  wounded ;    and  when    Floyd   and    Pillow  escaped 


232  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

during  the  night  of  the  15th,  they  took  with  them 
not  fewer  than  3,000  men.  A  thousand  cavalry  went 
away  with  Forrest ;  and  squads  and  groups  of  men 
were  escaping  all  along  during  the  night.  Putting 
all  these  things  together,  there  could  hardly  have 
been  less  than  21,000  Confederates  at  Fort  Donelson 
on  the  15th  of  February.  On  the  day  the  fort  fell, 
Grant  had  27,000  troops  —  some  of  them  required 
for  guarding  the  roads.  After  the  surrender  several 
regiments  arrived,  but  they  were  not  needed. 

The  Confederate  loss  at  Donelson  was  reported  at 
237  killed  and  1,000  wounded.  The  National  loss 
was  estimated  at  446  killed,  1,755  wounded,  and  152 
made  prisoners. 


PROMOTIONS   AND   CONGRATULATIONS.  233 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

Movements  after  Donelson. —  Evacuation  of  Columbus. — Capture  of 
Clarksville  and  Nashville.  —  Up  the  Tennessee  River.  —  Pittsburg 
Landing,  or  Shiloh.  —  Great  battle  there.  —  First  day's  righting. — 
Grant's  army  in  peril. — Reinforced  by  Buell. — Fighting  on  the 
second  day. — Rebels  driven  back. — Fugitives  from  the  battlefield. 
—  Grant  injured  by  a  fall.  —  Death  of  Albert  Sidney  Johnston. — 
Losses  at  Shiloh. 

Immediately  after  the  capture  of  Fort  Donelson, 
Grant  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-general 
of  volunteers.  All  three  of  his  division  commanders 
were  promoted  to  the  same  grade  ;  and  the  colonels 
who  commanded  brigades  were  raised  to  brigadier- 
generals.  Congratulations  came  to  Grant  from  all 
over  the  country,  except  from  the  commander-in-chief 
of  his  department.  General  Halleck  issued  a  formal 
order  thanking  Admiral  Foote,  General  Grant,  and 
the  -forces  under  their  command,  for  the  victories  of 
Forts  Henry  and  Donelson ;  but  he  sent  no  congratu- 
latory message  to  either  of  those  officers. 

Grant  took  possession  of  Clarkesville  and  Nashville, 
which  are  botli  on  the  Cumberland  River  above  Donel- 
son. General  Buell  was  advancing  towards  Nashville 
with  the  Army  of  the  Ohio ;  he  detached  from  it 
General    Nelson's    division,  and   sent   it   by  steamboat 


234  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

down  the  Ohio  and  np  the  Cumberland,  with  orders 
to  report  to  Grant.  Grant  had  no  use  for  it,  and 
sent  Nelson  to  take  possession  of  Nashville,  which 
the  Rebels  had  evacuated,  and  hold  it  until  Buell 
arrived. 

The  Rebels  evacuated  Columbus ;  and,  in  fact,  there 
was  a  general  falling  back  along  their  whole  line. 
General  Grant  learned  that  they  were  concentrating 
at  Corinth,  Miss.,  about  twenty-five  miles  from  the 
nearest  point  on  the  Tennessee  River,  and  the  junc- 
tion of  two  railways,  —  the  Memphis  and  Charles- 
ton, —  running  nearly  due  east  and  west,  and  the 
Mobile  and  Ohio,  nearly  north  and  south.  Grant 
desired  to  make  a  rapid  movement  upon  them,  but 
was  restrained  from  so  doing  by  the  positive  orders 
of  General  Halleck.  Halleck  appeared  to  be  jealous 
of  Grant's  success.  While  the  whole  country  was 
shouting  itself  hoarse  over  the  victory  of  Fort  Donel- 
son,  Halleck  was  upbraiding  Grant  for  alleged  vio- 
lations of  orders,  most  of  them  imaginary ;  sending 
complaints  about  him  to  Washington  ;  and  culminating 
by  removing  him  from  command,  and  appointing  Gen- 
eral C.  F.  Smith  in  his  place.  The  removal  took  place 
on  the  4th  of  March ;  and  on  the  13th,  nine  days 
later,  General  Grant  was  restored  to  his  command. 
He  immediately  proceeded  to  Savannah,  Tenn.,  where 
the    most   of    his    troops   had    been   sent    by    General 


NEW   MOVEMENTS.  235 

Smith,  the  latter  having  taken  up  and  carried  for- 
ward the  plans  of  General  Grant. 

Savannah  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Tennessee,  ten 
miles  below  Pittsburg  Landing ;  while  Corinth  is  on  the 
west  side,  and,  as  before  stated,  about  twenty-five  miles 
away.  Grant's  plan  was  to  gather  a  sufficient  army 
to  make  an  attack  upon  Corinth,  and  keep  the  river 
between  him  and  the  enemy  until  his  force  was  suf- 
ficiently strong  to  take  the  offensive.  Near  the  hitter 
part  of  March  lie  transferred  a  large  portion  of  his 
force  to  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  at  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing, forming  a  camp  there,  but  without  throwing  up 
fortifications.  He  was  still  waiting  for  reinforcements 
which  had  been  promised,  but  were  not  arriving  as 
rapidly  as  he  desired. 

General  Buell,  with  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  was 
marching  across  country  from  Nashville  to  make  the 
junction  with  Grant ;  and  the  latter  intended  to  move 
against  the  enemy  as  soon  as  Buell  arrived.  There 
were  daily  skirmishes  with  the  enemy's  cavalry,  but 
they  generally  retired  as  soon  as  they  came  into  col- 
lision with  our  troops.  Evidently  the  enemy  was 
feeling  the  position  of  the  Unionists,  and  learning  as 
nearly  as  possible  where  Grant's  troops  were  en- 
camped. 

Buell's  army  was  expected  to  come  in  at  Savannah  ; 
and  the  advance  division,  commanded  by  General  Nel- 


236  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

son,  reached  there  on  the  5th  of  April.  Buell  sent 
word  that  he  himself  would  arrive  at  Savannah  on  the 
6th,  and  wished  to  meet  General  Grant  as  soon  as 
possible.  It  had  been  Grant's  practice  for  a  week  or 
more  to  spend  the  day  with  the  army  at  Pittsburg 
Landing,  and  return  to  Savannah  in  the  evening. 
When  he  went  to  bed  on  the  night  of  the  5th,  he 
planned  to  take  a  very  early  breakfast  and  ride  out 
and  meet  Buell,  thus  saving  time. 

While  he  was  at  breakfast  he  heard  heavy  firing  in 
the  direction  of  Pittsburg;  and  instead  of  going  out  to 
meet  Buell,  he  hastened  to  Pittsburg  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible, but  sending  a  note  to  General  Buell  explaining 
why  he  could  not  meet  him  just  then. 

As  Grant's  steamboat  pushed  up  the  river,  the  sound 
of  the  firing  grew  more  and  more  distinct.  It  did  not 
take  long  for  the  general  to  realize  that  the  enemy  was 
attacking  in  force,  and  that  all  the  strength  of  his  army 
would  be  required  for  the  successful  defense  of  the 
position. 

Thus  began  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  also 
called  the  battle  of  Shiloh  in  the  Southern  States  and 
sometimes  in  the  Northern.  The  former  name  comes 
from  the  point  on  the  river  where  the  troops  went 
ashore  from  the  transports.  That  of  the  latter  comes 
from  a  church  bearing  the  name  of  Shiloh,  and  standing 
about  two  miles  back  of  the  river.     Much  of  the  heavy 


BATTLE   OP    SHILOH.  '  237 

fighting  was  done  around  Shiloh  Church,  and  the  place 
was  in  the  possession  at  different  times  of  both  the 
contending  parties.  Pittsburg  Landing  from  beginning 
to  end  was  held  by  the  Union  forces,  and  at  no  time 
did  a  Confederate  soldier  set  foot  upon  it  except 
as  a  prisoner. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  battle,  Shiloh  Church  was 
within  the  Union  lines.  During  the  afternoon  it  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Confederates,  and  it  was  not 
regained  again  till  the  next  day.  The  front  of  the 
Union  army  was  between  four  and  five  miles  long, 
extending  in  a  semicircle  from  the  river-bank  at 
Pittsburg  Landing  to  a  point  three  miles  below  at 
what  was  called  Crump's  Landing. 

The  whole  Confederate  force  at  Corinth,  about  forty 
thousand  men,  had  moved  out  to  attack  the  Union  po- 
sition. It  was  commanded  by  General  Albert  Sidney 
Johnston,  and  his  second  in  command  was  General 
Beauregard.  The  attack  began  upon  the  division  of. 
General  Prentiss,  on  the  left  of  the  Union  line.  At 
the  extreme  left  of  the  line  was  Owl  Creek,  which  was 
very  high  at  the  time,  and  served  materially  as  a 
protection  to  the  camp.  On  the  right  of  the  Union 
position  was  Lick  Creek,  which  was  also  swollen  by 
reason  of  heavy  rains.  The  condition  of  these  creeks 
prevented  the  Rebels  from  making  a  flank  movement, 
and  compelled  them  to  attack  directly  in  front. 


2-38  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

The  first  intimation  of  the  presence  of  the  enemy 
was  when  a  column  of  Confederate  troops  attacked 
the  division  of  General  Prentiss;  and  the  assault  was 
made  with  great  vigor.  Prentiss's  troops  were  per- 
fectly raw,  none  of  them  having  ever  been  under  fire 
before ;  but  they  formed  quickly,  and  made  a  good 
defense,  so  much  so  as  to  cause  heavy  loss  to  their 
adversaries. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  the  assault  upon  Pren- 
tiss, the  sound  of  firmer  was  heard  all  along  the 
front,  and  the  fighting  was  soon  in  full  blast.  The 
sound  of  artillery  and  musketry  rose  through  the 
woods  in  such  heavy  volumes  that  it  was  audible 
many  miles  away.  The  attack  was  so  vigorous 
everywhere  that  the  Union  troops  were  forced  back ; 
but  they  held  their  ground  stubbornly,  and  fought 
every  inch  of  the  wajT. 

As  soon  as  General  Grant  arrived,  he  visited  each 
of  his  division  commanders,  and  conferred  with  them 
concerning  the  outlook.  Each  of  the  generals  ap- 
peared to  understand  the  situation,  and  considering 
the  rawness  of  their  troops  was  handling  them  with 
skill.  Whenever  a  brigade  or  division  was  forced 
back  by  a  heavy  onslaught  of  the  enemy,  it  was 
necessary  for  the  divisions  on  either  side  of  it  to  re- 
tire a  little  in  order  to  preserve  an  unbroken  line. 

The  ground  on  which  the  battle  was    fought    con- 


ATTACK   ON   PRENTISS'S   DIVISION.  239 

sisted  principally  of  forest,  with  occasional  fields  and 
other  open  stretches ;  but  at  no  place  was  it  possible 
to  see  at  a  long  distance,  and  consequently  it  was 
not  easy  to  ascertain  in  one  division  what  was  hap- 
pening in  the  next. 

General  Prentiss's  division  fought  stubbornly,  and 
held  its  ground ;  in  fact,  it  was  so  busy  at  one 
time  holding  its  position  that  it  did  not  know 
until  too  late  that  the  next  division  had  fallen 
back.  The  Rebels  suddenly  appeared  in  its  rear, 
coming  in  through  the  opening  made  by  the  retire- 
ment of  the  division  next  to  it.  Hemmed  in  as  he 
was  with  strong  forces,  both  in  front  and  behind  him, 
Prentiss  had  no  alternative  but  to  surrender.  He 
was  captured,  with  about  twenty-five  hundred  officers 
and  men ;  the  capture  taking  place  not  far  from 
five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  A  story  was  circulated 
at  the  time  that  Prentiss's  division  was  surprised  and 
captured  at  daylight;  but  the  story  never  had  the 
least  foundation  whatever.  Prentiss's  division  fought 
stubbornly  throughout  the  day,  and  changed  its  posi- 
tion several  times  until  the  hour  mentioned.  Pren- 
tiss himself  was  moving  constantly  among  his  men, 
and  was  visited  by  General  Grant  as  late  as  four 
o'clock.  His  commander  says  that  at  that  time 
Prentiss  was  as  cool  as  a  cucumber,  and  confident  of 
victory. 


240  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  first  day  of  the  battle, 
the  fortunes  of  the  Union  army  had  a  gloomy  out- 
look. Column  after  column  dashed  against  the  Union 
line ;  and  it  was  forced  back,  back,  back,  until,  when 
night  came,  it  had  retreated  to  within  a  half-mile  of 
the  river.  Not  a  few  of  the  raw  regiments  broke 
and  ran  at  the  first  fire.  The  men  were  panic- 
stricken,  and  sought  a  place  of  shelter.  A  dense 
mass  of  stragglers  accumulated  on  the  river-bank, 
seeking  the  shelter  of  the  transports ;  and  all  the 
efforts  of  the  officers  were  unavailing  to  drive  them 
back  to  the  field.  A  few  here  and  there  were  rallied 
and  brought  again  to  the  front,  but  they  were  so  few 
that  they  did  not  visibly  deplete  the  great  mass.  So 
near  were  the  enemy  to  the  river-bank  that  the 
Confederate  artillery  threw  a  plunging  fire  among 
them,  causing  several  deaths  and  many  wounds. 

It  is  proper  to  say  in  this  connection  that  the 
accumulation  of  stragglers  in  the  rear  of  the  battle- 
field of  Pittsburg  Landing  was  by  no  means  ex- 
ceptional. Probably  the  same  thing  was  going  on 
on  the  Confederate  side,  as  it  occurs  and  has  oc- 
curred in  every  battle  in  every  land  since  warfare 
began.  Always  in  time  of  action  there  is  a  stream 
of  stragglers,  unwounded  or  with  slight  wounds,  who 
by  accident  or  design  become  separated  from  their 
commands   and   seek    safety   in    retirement.      Not   all 


SKULKERS   NOT   COWARDS.  241 

of  these  men,  nay,  only  a  small  portion  of  them,  are 
cowards,  and  deliberately  running  away  from  battle. 
The  same  men  who  sought  the  rear  of  Shiloh  after- 
wards stood  up  bravely  and  fought  like  veterans. 
They  were  demoralized  by  their  first  experience ;  but 
when  the  shock  was  over,  their  inborn  courage  re- 
turned, and  they  determined  to  redeem  the  names  they 
had  sullied  by  retiring. 

The  Rebels  were  confident  that  by  nightfall  they 
would  drive  the  Union  army  to  its  transports,  or  into 
the  Tennessee  River,  and  receive  the  surrender  of 
those  who  remained.  But  within  half  a  mile  of  the 
river  they  encountered  an  obstacle,  —  a  battery  of 
thirty  pieces  of  heavy  artillery  which  Colonel  Web- 
ster of  General  Grant's  staff  had  placed  there  during 
the  day.  When  the  Rebel  column  came  within  range 
of  this  battery,  it  opened  fire  upon  them,  and  checked 
their  advance.  Then  the  curtain  of  night  dropped  over 
the  battlefield,  and  the  combatants  rested  on  their  arms. 

In  addition  to  the  night  came  reinforcements.  Men- 
tion has  been  made  of  the  arrival  of  Nelson's  division 
of  Buell's  army  at  Savannah,  on  the  evening  of  the 
5th,  before  the  fighting  began.  On  the  morning  of 
the  6th,  General  Grant  sent  orders  for  Nelson's  di- 
vision to  move  as  quickly  as  possible  up  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  river  to  a  point  opposite  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing,  whence   it   would  be  ferried   across  to  the  scene 


242  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

of  action.  Just  before  night,  Nelson's  division  arrived 
on  the  scene,  and  took  a  position  on  the  left;  but 
there  was  no  fighting  of  consequence  after  it  arrived. 
During  the  day,  Buell's  other  divisions  came  into 
Savannah,  and  at  night  were  taken  on  steamboats  up 
the  river  to  the  battlefield.  All  along,  during  the 
night,  Admiral  Foote's  gunboats  kept  up  a  slow  can- 
nonading, throwing  shells  every  fifteen  minutes  into 
the  Confederate  camp.  It  was  not  expected  that 
this  cannonading'  would  cause  much  slaughter.  The 
idea  was  to  create  consternation  among  the  Rebels ; 
and  this   was   the   result  as   afterwards  ascertained. 

Grant  remained  on  the  battlefield,  near  the  battery 
which  Colonel  Webster  had  erected,  for  a  part  of 
the  night,  and  spent  the  rest  of  it  in  visiting  his  divis- 
ion commanders.  He  gave  orders  to  begin  the  battle 
immediately  after  daylight,  and  to  push  the  Rebels 
as  earnestly  as  possible.  General  Lew  Wallace's  divis- 
ion, which  had  been  on  the  extreme  right,  near 
Crump's  Landing,  on  the  oth,  and  was  not  engaged 
by  the  enenry,  was  brought  up  during  the  night,  so 
that  it  formed  a  part  of  the  line  for  the  work  of  the 
6th.  Grant  was  confident  of  victory,  and  had  inspired 
his  officers  with  similar  confidence.  He  directed  them 
to  throw  out  heavy  lines  of  skirmishers  as  soon  as  it 
was  daylight,  and  engage  the  enemy  from  one  end 
of  the  line  to  the  other. 


SECOND    MORNING    OF    THE    BATTLE.  243 

Two  or  three  days  before  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  Gen- 
eral Grant  met  with  a  mishap  through  his  horse  slip- 
ping and  falling  upon  him.  He  walked  with  difficulty, 
and  could  not  mount  into  the  saddle,  or  dismount, 
without  assistance.  Notwithstanding  his  personal  suf- 
fering he  went  around  as  actively  as  ever,  and  his 
presence  gave  great  encouragement  to  officers  and 
men.  He  was  in  the  saddle  before  daylight  on  the  7th, 
and  personally  issued  the  orders  already  mentioned. 

These  orders  were  carried  out  to  the  letter. 
Promptly  at  daybreak  firing  began  along  the  whole 
line,  the  Union  troops  being  the  first  to  open  the 
contest.  Fresh  supplies  of  ammunition  had  been 
brought  up  during  the  night,  and  the  cartridge-box  of 
every  soldier  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity.  Am- 
munition wagons  stood  at  numerous  intervals  in  the 
rear  of  the  line,  ready  to  deliver  their  contents  where- 
ever  wanted.  It  takes  a  great  deal  of  lead  to  kill 
a  man  on  a  battlefield.  The  estimate  during  the 
Civil  War  was,  that  for  every  man  killed  or  wounded 
in  battle  a  hundred  pounds  of  leaden  bullets  were 
used,  and  at  least  a  thousand  pounds  of  artillery,  shot, 
and  shell.  Bearing  this  in  mind,  the  reader  will  per- 
ceive that  a  great  many  tons  of  ammunition  were 
used  at  Shiloh. 

Nearly  always  a  great  battle  is  followed  by  a  heavy 
rain.     Rain  fell  in    torrents   during:  the    night    of   the 


244  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

6th  of  April,  and  made  the  bivouac  of  the  troops  on 
both  sides  an  uncomfortable  one ;  but  it  extinguished 
the  fires  that  had  started  in  the  forest  in  many  places, 
and  gave  welcome  relief  to  the  wounded  who  lay 
scattered  on  the  ground.  Rain  was  still  falling  on 
the  morning  of  the  7th  when  the  fighting  began ;  and 
it  made  the  ground  soft,  and  increased  the  difficulty 
of  moving  artillery.  Several  cannon  were  hopelessly 
stuck  in  the  mud,  and  our  troops  were  unable  in  re- 
peated instances  to  bring  their  artillery  forward.  Some 
of  the  guns  remained  for  several  days  so  deeply 
mired  that  they  were  scarcely  visible  above  the  sea  of 
mud. 

During  the  night,  a  great  number  of  the  stragglers 
who  sought  the  shelter  of  the  river-bank  during  the 
first  day's  work  were  temporarily  organized  into  com- 
panies, and  brought  forward  to  take  part  in  the  second 
day's  work.  A  few  of  them  ran  away  for  the  second 
time,  but  the  great  majority  had  now  recovered  their 
senses  and  stood  up  manfully. 

At  the  close  of  the  first  day's  fighting  news  came 
to  General  Grant  that  the  Confederate  commander, 
General  Johnston,  had  been  killed.  Confirmation  of 
this  report  came  shortly  after ;  and  the  general  took 
pains  to  spread  the  information  all  along  the  line,  and 
thus  give  encouragement  to  his  men.  General  John- 
ston  was  considered  one   of   the  best  commanders  in 


DEATH  OF  GENERAL  JOHNSTON.        245 

the  Confederacy.  He  was  a  soldier  of  experience  and 
marked  ability,  and  his  loss  at  the  time  it  occurred 
was  a  very  serious  one  to  the  Confederates.  General 
Beauregard  succeeded  him  in  command.  He  was  of 
French  origin,  and  was  not  held  in  as  high  esteem  by 
officers  and  soldiers  as  was  General  Johnston.  One 
of  Grant's  generals  remarked  of  Johnston's  death  that 
it  was  equivalent  to  the  loss  of  at  least  one  division 
of  troops.  The  elation  of  the  Union  forces  on  hearing 
of  it  was  about  equal  to  the  gloom  that  overspread 
the  Confederate  troops  when  they  learned  the,  to  them, 
sad  intelligence. 

From  the  very  beginning  of  the  fighting  on  the 
7th,  the  Union  troops  steadily  pushed  the  Rebels  be- 
fore them,  backward,  backward,  backward,  till  the 
center  of  their  line  was  once  more  near  Shiloh  Church. 
There  they  made  a  desperate  stand  a  little  past  noon. 
They  massed  heavily,  and  for  the  time  resisted  all 
attempts  to  move  them ;  in  fact,  at  one  time  they  al- 
most broke  the  Union  line.  Grant  hastened  to  the 
spot,  guided  by  the  heavy  firing,  and  as  he  n eared  it 
he  overtook  two  regiments  on  their  way  to  reinforce 
a  brigade  that  had  suffered  heavily  and  was  in  danger 
of  falling  back.  These  regiments  were  hesitating  in 
consequence  of  the  hot  fire,  whereupon  Grant  placed 
himself  at  their  head,  and  led  them  forward  to  the 
line    of  battle.      Following    these    regiments   came   a 


246  boys'  life  op  general  grant. 

battery  of  artillery  which  was  whirled  up  to  within 
short  range  of  the  dense  mass  of  Confederates.  Grant 
ordered  the  captain  of  the  battery  to  drop  his  shells 
into  the  middle  of  that  mass.  He  did  so,  and  the  Con- 
federates broke  and  fled  in  confusion. 

"That's  the  end  of  it,"  said  Grant.  "They  won't 
make  another  stand." 

And  they  did  not.  Sullenly  the  Rebels  retreated 
from  the  battlefield,  and  sought  the  shelter  of  their 
intrenciiments  at  Corinth.  Grant  wanted  to  pursue 
them,  and  was  confident  that  he  could  take  possession 
of  Corinth  without  more  serious  fighting;  but  his  troops 
were  in  no  condition  for  a  pursuit.  They  were  utterly 
worn  out  by  the  fatigue  and  exposure  of  the  two  days' 
battle,  having  passed  the  night  in  the  rain  without 
sleep ;  and  pursuit  was  quite  out  of  the  question. 
Grant  rode  over  to  Buell  on  the  left,  and  had  an 
interview  with  that  general  and  his  division  command- 
ers. To  them  he  urged  the  pursuit ;  but  all  pronounced 
it  impossible  under  the  circumstances,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  abandon  the  idea. 

General  Beauregard  put  the  best  face  he  could  on 
his  failure  to  capture  Grant's  army.  He  telegraphed 
to  Richmond  as  follows  :  — 

"We  have  gained  a  great  and  glorious  victory,  eight 
to  ten  thousand  prisoners,  and  thirty-six  pieces  of  canon. 
Buell   reinforced   Grant,  and  we    retired  to  our  intrench- 


LOSSES    AT    SHILOH.  247 

ments  at  Corinth,  which  we  can  hold.     Loss  heavy  on  both 
sides." 

The  same  day,  after  sending  away  this  boastful  dis- 
patch, he  sent  a  letter  to  General  Grant  asking  per- 
mission to  send  a  party  to  the  battlefield  to  bury  the 
Confederate  dead.  As  his  reason  for  so  doing,  he 
began  his  letter  as  follows  :  — 

"  At  the  close  of  the  conflict  yesterday,  my  forces  being 
exhausted  by  the  extraordinary  length  of  the  time  during 
which  they  were  engaged  on  that  and  the  preceding  day, 
and  it  being  apparent  that  you  had  received,  and  were  still 
receiving,  reinforcements,  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  withdraw 
my  troops  from  the  immediate  scene  of  the  conflict." 

Grant  replied  that  all  the  dead  had  been  buried, 
therefore  there  was  no  necessity  of  the  burying  party 
from  the  Confederate  side.  He  added  that  if  the  ne- 
cessity existed  he  should  certainly  grant  the  courtesy 
requested  or  any  other  that  was  dictated  by  humanity. 

The  official  reports  of  the  battle  show  the  losses  on 
each  side  to  have  been  as  follows :  — 

KILLED 

Union 1,700 

Confederate  .  .  1,728 

Shiloh  was  the  greatest  battle  of  the  war  down  to 
that  time,  and  one  of  the  most  stubborn  battles  of 
the  entire  war.     Neither  side   fougfht  behind  intrench- 


'OUNDED 

MISSING 

TOTAL 

7,595 

3,022 

12,217 

8,012 

957 

10,699 

248  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

merits.  For  nearly  two  days  they  stood  up  and  faced 
each  other ;  and  for  a  great  part  of  the  time  the  lines 
were  so  close  together  that  the  men  on  the  opposite 
sides  shouted  at  and  taunted  each  other  whenever 
their  voices  could  be  heard  above  the  surrounding  din. 
It  was  a  steady  "  give  and  take  "  struggle  ;  and  no 
man  in  his  sober  senses  could  say,  after  that  battle, 
that  the  men  on  either  side  were  cowards.  It  was 
American  bravery  on  one  side,  and  American  bravery 
on  the  other.  In  the  early  part  of  the  battle  it  was 
Southern  dash  against  Northern  steadiness.  Steadi- 
ness gave  way  beneath  the  dash;  but  it  rallied,  held 
its  own,  and  triumphed  in  the  end. 


grant's  narrow  escape.  249 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

Grant's  narrow  escape  in  the  battle.  —  Confederate  strength  at  Corinth. 

—  General  Halleck  assumes  command.  —  Siege  of  Corinth.  —  A  slow 
approach.  —  Fifteen  miles  in  six  weeks.  —  Grant  asks  to  he  relieved. 

—  His  request  denied. — Rebels  evacuate  Corinth.  —  Pope  and  Buell 
pursue  them .  —  Grant  in  command  of  the  department.  —  His  escape 
from  guerrillas.  —  Rebels  attack  Corinth. 

During  the  battle,  Grant  seemed  to  bear  a  charmed 
life.  He  was  under  fire  many  times;  his  horse  was 
struck  with  a  bullet,  and  a  cannon-shot  passed  be- 
neath the  animal's  belly  within  an  inch  or  two  of 
the  general's  feet.  At  one  time,  when  he  was  riding 
at  full  speed  from  one  division  to  another,  a  bullet 
struck  and  broke  his  scabbard,  and  released  his  sword, 
which  was  never  afterwards  found.  While  he  stood 
talking  to  an  officer  behind  the  batteries  about  five 
o'clock  on  Sunday  afternoon,  Carson,  a  scout,  reported 
to  him,  and  then  stepped  back  a  few  feet.  Hardly 
had  he  done  so  when  a  cannon-shot  took  off  the 
scout's  head,  and  bespattered  the  general  with  his 
blood. 

While  General  Grant  was  looking  on  at  the  con- 
test near  Shiloh  Church,  an  artillery  officer  rode  up, 
and  touching  his  cap,  thus  addressed  the  com- 
mander :  — 


250  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"  Sheneral,  I  comes  to  makes  one  report.  Schwartz's 
Battery  is  took." 

"How  was  that?"  the  general  asked. 

"  Veil,  you  sees,  Sheneral,  clem  Rebels  comes  up 
in  front  of  das  battery ;  den  dey  comes  on  one 
sides,  and  den  on  oder  sides,  and  den  in  der  rear 
of  us,  and  Schwartz's  Battery  vos  took." 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  the  general,  "  of  course  you 
spiked  the  guns." 

"  Vat !  spike  all  clem  new  guns !  No,  it  vould 
schpoil  clem." 

"  Well,"  said  the  general  in  a  tone  of  disgust, 
"  what  did  you  do  ?  " 

"  Do !  vy,  we  took  clem  back  agin  !  " 

In  order  to  fight  the  battle  of  Shiloh  and  destroy 
the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  the  Confederates  had 
stripped  the  South-western  States  of  their  best  troops, 
and  concentrated  them  at  Corinth.  They  brought 
forty  thousand  men  into  battle,  and  a  considerable 
additional  force  was  on  its  way  to  join  them  ;  John- 
ston decided  not  to  await  these  reinforcements,  but 
to  attack  before  Grant  could  be  joined  by  the  Army 
of  the  Ohio  under  Buell.  Originally  he  planned  to 
make  the  attack  on  the  4th  instead  of  the  6th ;  and 
had  lie  clone  so,  Grant  would  have  been  unable  to 
bring  Buell  and  his  army  corps  into  the  field.  A 
heavy  rain  on  the  3d  caused  the  postponement  of 
Johnston's  plans. 


HALLECK    SUPERSEDES   GRANT.  251 

A  few  days  after  the  battle,  General  Grant  was 
superseded  by  General  Halleck,  who  came  to  take 
command  in  person.  As  already  stated,  Grant  was 
not  in  favor  with  Halleck ;  and  the  latter  proceeded 
to  strip  him  of  his  authority,  while  pretending  at 
the  same  time  to  increase  it.  The  army  had  been 
strengthened  by  the  arrival  of  General  Pope  with  a 
considerable  force,  which  had  recently  captured  Island 
No.  10  on  the  Mississippi  River.  Halleck  issued  an 
order  giving  General  Thomas  command  of  the  right 
wing  of  the  army,  Buell  the  command  of  the  center, 
and  Pope  that  of  the  left.  The  reserves  were  placed 
under  General  McClernand,  and  then  the  order  con- 
cluded as  follows  :  — 

"Major-General  Grant  will  retain  the  general  command 
of  the  District  of  West  Tennessee,  including  the  army 
corps  of  the  Tennessee,  and  reports  will  be  made  to  him 
as  heretofore ;  but  in  the  present  movement  he  will  act 
as  second  in  command  under  the  major-general  com- 
manding the  department." 

Halleck  pretended  that  this  was  a  promotion,  as 
he  thus  placed  Grant  second  in  command,  so  that 
if  any  accident  happened  to  himself  Grant  would 
succeed  him.  On  the  other  hand,  Halleck  required 
the  other  commanders  to  report  directly  to  himself, 
and    Grant   was    practically  left  with    nothing  to  do ; 


252  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

and  in  order  to  know  the  strength  of  the  army  or 
what  was  going  on,  he  was  obliged  to  ask  infor- 
mation of  Halleck.  Grant  said  nothing,  but  took 
the  affronts  quietly,  though  it  can  easily  be  imagined 
what  his '  feelings  were  when  orders  were  issued 
over  his  head  to  his  subordinates. 

News  of  the  victory  at  Shiloh  caused  great  rejoi- 
cing in  the  North,  though  less  so,  perhaps,  than  did 
the  capture  of  Fort  Donelson.  The  country  was 
getting  accustomed  to  victories,  and  therefore  was 
not  so  much  impressed  when  one  occurred.  Fur- 
thermore, the  victory  of  Shiloh  had  given  us  no 
decided  advantage  which  the  ordinary  citizen  could 
perceive ;  as  far  as  he  could  see,  we  were  in  the 
same  position  at  the  end  of  the  battle  as  we  were 
in  the  beginning.  The  enemy  had  attacked  us  and 
had  been  driven  away,  and  that  was  all  there  was 
about  it.  The  magnitude  of  the  battle  would  have 
been  realized  if  the  public  had  considered  what 
would  have  been  the  result  if  the  Confederates  had 
destroyed  or  captured  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee, 
as  they  had  planned  to  do.  The  Tennessee  and 
Cumberland  Rivers  would  have  been  at  their  mercy; 
and  before  many  days  the  Rebel  flag  would  have 
floated  from  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson,  and  over 
Nashville  and  other  places  that  had  recently  been 
surrendered  to  us. 


THE   SIEGE   OF   CORINTH.  253 

Halleck  collected  an  army  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  men,  and  proceeded  to  intrench  as 
though  he  was  opposed  by  a  larger  number  of  men 
than  he  had  under  his  command.  Slowly  the  army 
moved  in  the  direction  of  Corinth,  and  every  advance 
that  it  made  of  a  few  hundred  yards  it  stopped  to 
intrench  itself.  So  strong  was  its  position  at  all  times 
that  an  assault  by  a  vastly  superior  force  should  have 
been  easily  repelled.  Halleck  received,  or  pretended 
to  receive,  news  that  Beauregard's  army  in  front  of 
him  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  strong,  and 
consequently  his  careful  advance  would  seem  to  be 
justified.  He  gave  to  all  his  subordinates  the  strictest 
orders  not  to  bring  on  a  battle  under  any  circum- 
stances ;  even  if  attacked  by  the  enemy  and  successful 
in  repulsing  him,  they  were  not  to  pursue. 

A  military  critic  remarked  of  Halleck's  operations 
at  this  point :  — 

"  Napoleon  might  as  well  have  intrenched  on  the 
field  of  Austeiiitz,  or  Wellington  on  the  eve  of 
Waterloo." 

The  fact  is,  that  the  army  at  any  time  could  have 
captured  Corinth,  as  Beauregard  had  not  one-third  the 
strength  of  Halleck.  Days  and  weeks  passed  away, 
and  with  a  front  eight  or  ten  miles  long  the  army 
slowly  crept  forward.  It  suffered  terribly  from  disease, 
as  the  upturning  of  the  soil  filled  the  air  with  malaria ; 


254  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

and  many  thousands  of  soldiers  perished  of  fevers, 
dysentery,  and  other  diseases,  induced  by  bad  water 
and  bad  air. 

The  men  certainly  were  not  broken  down  by  hard 
marching,  as  it  took  six  weeks  to  make  an  advance  of 
just  fifteen  miles.  Whenever  opportunity  occurred, 
Grant  urged  an  immediate  movement  upon  Corinth ; 
but  he  was  so  effectually  snubbed  by  Halleck  that  he 
did  not  venture  to  do  so  often. 

His  position  was  so  irksome  that  he  asked  on  the 
11th  of  May  to  be  altogether  relieved  from  the  depart- 
ment, or  to  have  a  definite  knowledge  of  what  his 
position  was.  Halleck  replied  in  an  ambiguous  note 
which  attempted  to  explain  matters,  and  assure  his 
subordinate  that  there  was  no  intention  of  disrespect 
to  him. 

In  the  last  days  of  May  rumors  came  into  the  camp 
that  the  Rebels  were  evacuating  Corinth ;  and  so  posi- 
tive was  the  information  of  some  of  the  commanders 
that  they  reported  it  to  General  Halleck,  and  ventured 
to  suggest  a  movement  upon  the  place.  Halleck 
laughed  at  the  idea,  and  intimated  to  the  officers  who 
had  the  temerity  to  address  him  that  he  knew  perfectly 
well  what  was  going  on.  The  front  of  the  army  was 
then  about  three  miles  from  Corinth,  and  the  move- 
ment of  railway  trains  could  be  heard  distinctly.  On 
the  29th  of  May  the  sound  of  a  tremendous  explosion 


BEBELS   EVACUATE   CORINTH.  255 

was  heard,  and  the  idea  occurred  to  many  that  the 
Rebels  were  blowing  up  their  works  previous  to  get- 
ting out. 

Halleck  took  the  other  view  of  the  case,  and  said  that 
they  were  getting  ready  to  attack.  He  issued  orders 
for  the  whole  army  to  be  ready  for  battle  on  the  follow- 
ing morning,  as  the  indications  were  that  the  enemy 
would  attack  in  full  force.  The  fact  is,  that  at  the 
moment  the  order  was  sent  out,  the  last  of  the  rear- 
guard of  the  Rebel  army  was  marching  out  of  Corinth, 
and  leaving  the  place  deserted. 

It  afterwards  turned  out  that  for  three  weeks  Beau- 
regard's preparations  for  evacuation  had  been  going  on. 
He  had  been  sending  away  troops  and  materials,  and 
Halleck  had  not  been  able  to  find  it  out.  Logan's 
division  on  the  right  was  ordered  to  advance  about 
five  hundred  yards,  and  intrench ;  and  they  were 
actually  throwing  up  the  earth  with  their  spades  when 
a  portion  of  the  right  wing  of  the  army  was  being 
marched  into  Corinth,  General  Pope  having  been  in- 
formed by  the  country  people  that  the  place  was 
abandoned. 

Pope  and  Buell  went  in  pursuit  of  the  fleeing  Rebels. 
They  picked  up  a  good  many  stragglers,  but  with  a 
single  exception  did  not  succeed  in  engaging  any  por- 
tion of  the  army.  In  the  force  that  went  in  pursuit 
there  was  a  brigade  of  cavalry  commanded  by  a  young 


256  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

captain  of  the  regular  army  who  had  been  serving  as 
quartermaster ;  he  had  received  his  appointment  as 
colonel  of  the  Michigan  cavalry  regiment  only  five 
days  before,  and  was  practically  unknown.  With  his 
brigade  he  made  a  dash  upon  the  Confederate  rear, 
and  after  a  sharp  fight  took  several  hundred  prisoners. 
He  afterwards  became  known  to  the  country  and  the 
world  as  Lieutenant-General  Sheridan.  His  exploit  in 
this  pursuit  was  what    first   brought  him   into  notice. 

Halleck's  army  entered  Corinth  and  took  possession. 
The  Rebel  evacuation  had  been  made  so  leisurely  that 
nothing  of  value  remained.  The  capture  of  Corinth 
made  it  impossible  for  the  Rebels  to  hold  on  much 
longer  at  Memphis  ;  and  within  a  week  that  city  was 
captured,  after  severe  fighting  between  the  two  hostile 
fleets  of  gunboats.  The  Rebels  defended  their  boats 
bravely  ;  but  the  superiority  of  construction  of  the 
Northern  ones  was  such  that  only  one  man  on  the 
Union  side  was  injured.  With  a  single  exception 
every  one  of  the  Rebel  boats  was  blown  up,  sunk,  or 
captured.  The  fight  took  place  just  after  sunrise,  and 
was  witnessed  by  the  entire  population  of  Memphis, 
which  lined  the  bluff  on  which  the  city  stands. 

There  was  no  longer  any  need  at  Corinth  of  the  vast 
army  which  had  been  collected,  and  portions  of  it  were 
sent  away  in  different  directions.  Halleck  continued 
in  command  of  the  department,  and  Grant  was  assigned 


GUERRILLAS   AFTER   GRANT.  257 

to  the  district  of  West  Tennessee  a  few  days  after  the 
fall  of  Memphis.  He  went  b}'  rail  to  within  forty 
miles  of  the  city,  where  a  bridge  had  been  burned ;  and 
from  there  went  through  on  horseback  accompanied 
by  three  staff-officers  and  a  small  escort  of  cavalry. 
The  country  was  full  of  guerrillas,  or  independent  ran- 
gers, who  were  hunting  for  Union  men,  whether  in 
uniform  or  out  of  it,  and  making  travel  very  unsafe. 
Some  of  them  learned  that  Grant  was  riding  through 
to  Memphis,  and  organized  as  quickly  as  possible  to 
intercept  and  capture  him.  Grant  had  several  miles 
the  start  of  them,  but  at  a  point  five  miles  from  Mem- 
phis they  came  in  on  a  side  road  in  order  to  capture 
him.  They  stood  there  and  waited  for  half  an  hour  or 
so  ;  then  a  man  who  had  been  working  in  a  field  not 
far  away  came  and  asked  them  what  they  wanted. 

"We're  after  a  crowd  of  Yankee  soldiers,"  said  the 
leader.     "  They  ought  to  be  along  here  pretty  soon." 

"  What  kind  of  a  crowd  is  it  ?  "  the  farmer  asked. 

"  One  of  them  is  a  general,"  was  the  reply.  "  And 
there's  some  officers  and  a  lot  of  soldiers  all  on  horse- 
back." 

"You'se  waitin'  here  for  nothin'  then,"  the  farmer 
answered.  "  That  crowd  done  gone  by  about  fifteen 
minutes  afore  you  came." 

The  guerrilla  leader's  face  fell.  Gone  fifteen  minutes 
before  he  came,  and  he  had  waited  half  an  hour!    Forty- 


258  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

five  minutes,  and  five  miles!  Grant  was  in  Memphis 
by  that  time,  and  there  was  no  hope  of  capturing  him. 

Grant  took  command  of  Memphis,  relieving  Lew 
Wallace,  who  was  then  commanding  the  town,  and 
remaining  there  until  the  middle  of  July,  when  he 
returned  to  Corinth.  The  day  after  he  arrived,  Halleck 
was  ordered  to  Washington  to  take  chief  command 
of  the  armies  of  the  United  States ;  and  he  turned  his 
authority  over  to  Grant,  as  he  was  the  next  in  rank. 
Before  doing  so,  however,  he  offered  it  to  another 
officer,  who  promptly  declined  it.  After  Halleck  trans- 
ferred it  to  Grant  he  became  very  gracious  in  manner, 
and  said,  — 

"  Now  that  I  am  going  to  the  East,  I  can't  be  here 
to  take  Vicksburg.  I  suppose  I  must  leave  that  job 
to  you." 

Grant  replied,  "I  am  here  to  obey  orders;  and  if  I 
am  told  to  take  Vicksburg,  I  shall  certainly  try." 

Corinth  continued  to  be  the  strategic  point  in  Grant's 
department.  He  garrisoned  Bolivar,  Jackson,  and  one 
or  two  other  places,  and  kept  open  the  railway  line  to 
Columbus,  through  a  region  haunted  by  guerrillas.  He 
drew  all  his  supplies  from  Columbus,  as  the  Tennessee 
River  was  too  low  at  that  time  to  afford  navigation  for 
any  but  the  smallest  steamboats.  The  Confederate 
General  Bragg  had  organized  a  large  army,  and  was 
moving  toward  Kentucky.     Reinforcements  for  Buell's 


FORTIFICATIONS   AT   CORINTH.  259 

army  were  urgently  requested,  and  a  large  portion  of 
Grant's  troops  were  sent  away. 

In  the  meantime  another  Rebel  army,  under  Van  Dorn 
and  Price,  was  threatening  Grant,  who  was  now  alto- 
gether too  weak  to  take  the  offensive.  He  kept  a  sharp 
watch  upon  the  movements  of  his  antagonists,  and 
renewed  the  fortifications  of  Corinth.  He  found  the 
place  pretty  well  fortified;  but  as  the  Rebels  would 
naturally  know  all  about  the  fortifications  that  they 
had  built,  he  remodeled  the  old  works,  and  built  many 
new  ones,  so  that  if  the  former  occupants  of  Corinth 
should  attack  him  they  would  not  be  as  thoroughly 
informed  as  they  thought  they  were. 

By  the  end  of  August  the  position  at  Corinth  was  a 
strong  one,  and  Grant  felt  confident  of  repelling  a  force 
much  larger  than  his  own.  General  Pope  was  badly 
beaten  in  Virginia,  where  he  had  been  sent  after  the 
capture  of  Corinth  ;  and  in  Kentucky,  General  Bragg 
pushed  northward  until  his  army  was  in  front  of  Cin- 
cinnati, and  an  invasion  of  Ohio  was  looked  upon  as 
quite  probable.  Price  and  Van  Dorn  were  moving  in 
Grant's  direction,  but  had  not  yet  united.  Price  occu- 
pied Iuka,  a  town  about  twenty  miles  east  of  Corinth. 
Grant  determined  to  destroy  Price's  army  before  Van 
Dorn  could  join  it.  He  sent  two  divisions  to  attack 
Price ;  and  a  battle  was  fought  which  resulted  in  Price's 
retirement.     His  army  was  crippled,  but  not  broken  up. 


260  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Price  and  Van  Dorn  united  their  forces,  and  showed 
no  disposition  to  move  farther  away. 

Grant  removed  his  headquarters  to  Jackson,  Tenn., 
which  was  a  better  point  than  Corinth  for  over- 
looking his  whole  department.  It  was  difficult  to 
guess  where  the  enemy  would  strike  him;  but  from 
the  way  the  Rebel  army  was  moving,  Corinth  was  the 
point  indicated.  Van  Dorn,  who  commanded  his  own 
and  Price's  troops,  swung  around  to  the  north  of 
Corinth  so  as  to  attack  it  from  that  direction.  General 
Rosecrans  was  in  command  at  Corinth,  and  he  met  Van 
Dorn's  army  five  miles  outside  the  fortifications.  They 
had  a  sharp  battle,  but  Rosecrans  wisely  allowed  his 
troops  to  be  driven  into  his  fortifications.  By  the  time 
his  forces  were  inside,  night  had  come,  and  movements 
were  suspended.  The  Rebels  were  greatly  elated  at 
their  success,  and  they  formed  their  bivouac  within 
a  hundred   yards  of   the   Union  lines. 

At  daylight  the  next  morning  they  made  a  savage 
assault.  They  were  doing  what  the  Union  troops  did 
at  Donelson, — attacking  their  enemy  behind  breast- 
works ;  and  they  did  it  just  as  bravely.  Charge  upon 
charge  they  made  against  the  Union  front;  and  each 
time  they  were  mowed  down  by  artillery  and  small 
arms,  great  gaps  being  cut  in  their  ranks.  Time  after 
time  they  assaulted ;  and  once  they  obtained  possession 
of  a  fort,  but  only  for  a  few  minutes.     General  Rose- 


WORK   OF   A   SPY.  261 

crans  in  person  rallied  his  troops,  and  drove  the  enemy 
back. 

The  fight  lasted  in  this  way  from  daybreak  until 
noon;  then  the  enemy  hesitated.  They  were  wearied 
and  exhausted  by  their  long  struggle,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  their  commanders  had  about  given  up  the 
fight  as  hopeless.  Rosecrans  ordered  a  charge  ;  and  our 
troops  rushed  out  and  attacked  the  Rebels,  who  quickly 
retreated. 

With  his  wonderful  foresight,  Grant,  at  his  head- 
quarters in  Jackson,  foresaw  these  events,  and  sent  out 
two  divisions  under  Generals  Hurlbut  and  Ord.  These 
divisions  met  the  retiring  Rebels  ten  miles  south  of 
Corinth  while  they  were  crossing  a  river.  They  cap- 
tured a  battery  and  many  prisoners ;  and  if  General 
Ord  had  not  been  severely  wounded  in  the  early  part 
of  the  battle,  it  is  probable  that  the  whole  would  have 
been  destroyed. 

The  movement  of  the  Rebels  to  attack  on  the  north 
side  of  Corinth  was  inspired  by  a  resident  of  that  place, 
a  woman  who  was  acting  as  a  spy.  She  sent  a  letter 
to  Van  Dorn  containing  a  map  of  the  fortifications,  and 
saying  that  they  were  weakest  on  the  north  side  and 
very  poorly  garrisoned.  General  Ord  intercepted  the 
letter  and  read  it ;  he  then  sealed  it  again,  and  allowed 
it  to  go  to  General  Van  Dorn,  but  at  the  same  time  he 
proceeded  to  strengthen  his  works  on  the  north  side, 
and  to  increase  the  garrison. 


262  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

One  of  the  participants  in  the  battle  was  a  bird,  ai? 
eagle  belonging  to  the  Eighth  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
This  eagle  was  presented  to  the  regiment  shortly  before 
its  departure  from  home,  and  it  was  carried  by  the 
men  throughout  the  whole  war.  The  bird  was  allowed 
to  go  wherever  it  pleased,  and  made  itself  quite  at  home 
among  the  soldiers  on  the  march.  It  was  sometimes 
carried  on  a  perch  borne  by  one  of  the  men ;  but  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  it  flew  in  the  air,  hovering 
above  the  regiment,  lighting  on  trees,  and  moving  on 
a  short  distance  at  a  time,  but  never  losing  sight  of 
the  body  of  troops  to  which  it  belonged.  In  battle  it 
would  fly  high  in  the  air,  circling  round  and  round,  and 
screaming  with  apparent  delight.  It  enjoyed  hearing 
the  band  play,  and  enjoyed  just  as  much  the  sound 
of  cannon  and  musketry.  The  bird  was  shrewd  enough 
to  keep  out  of  harm's  way  in  time  of  battle,  but  was 
very  often  so  near  that  it  must  have  heard  the  whistle 
and  "  ping  "  of  the  bullets.  The  soldiers  called  him 
"  Old  Abe;"  and  there  would  have  been  great  mourning 
if  any  misfortune  had  come  to  the  bird.  After  the 
war  he  was  kept  for  years  in  the  Wisconsin  State 
House,  and  was  frequently  exhibited  at  Grand  Army 
reunions  and  other  public  festivities.  In  1876  he  was 
one  of  the  attractions  of  the  Centennial  Exhibition. 

The  failure  of  the  Rebels  to  capture  Corinth  ren- 
dered General  Grant  entirely  easy  concerning  all  offen- 


VICKSBURG.  263 

sive  movements  by  the  enemy  in  the  immediate  future. 
He  now  turned  his  attention  to  the  next  great  move 
on  the  chessboard  of  war  in  that  part  of  the  country,  — 
the  capture  of  Vicksburg. 

Vicksburg  by  nature  and  by  the  art  of  the  military 
engineer  was  a  veritable  Gibraltar,  at  least  on  its  front. 
The  town  stands  on  a  high,  almost  precipitous,  bluff, 
overlooking  the  Mississippi  River  at  a  point  where  that 
mighty  stream  makes  a  sharp  bend  from  west  to  east, 
and  then  from  east  to  west  again.  The  nature  of  this 
bend  may  be  understood  when  it  is  remembered  that 
the  river  passes  around  a  tongue  of  land  nearly  three 
miles  in  length,  and  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  across  at  the  point  where  it  joins  the  mainland. 
The  extreme  end  of  this  tongue  is  known  as  Young's 
Point,  and  directly  opposite  Young's  Point  is  the  town 
or  city  of  Vicksburg. 

The  bluff  and  the  hills  on  which  the  city  stands,  and 
by  which  it  is  surrounded,  are  composed  of  an  argillai 
ceous  clay  that  can  be  hewn  with  an  ax  and  quarried 
into  blocks  if  desired.  This  quality  rendered  it  an 
admirable  material  for  building  fortifications  ;  and  dur- 
ing the  siegfe  it  enabled  the  inhabitants  to  cut  bomb- 
proof  caves  and  shelters,  to  which  they  retired  whenever 
the  cannon-balls  and  shells  rained  inconveniently  upon 
them.  Before  the  surrender  of  Memphis,  the  Rebels 
had  made  a  stronghold  of  Vicksburg.     After  the  fall  of 


204  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

that  city  they  worked  like  beavers  to  strengthen  the 
place,  so  that  by  the  time  General  Grant  was  ready  to 
move  on  the  city,  they  could  bid  defiance  to  any  direct 
assault. 

General  Grant  concentrated  troops  at  Jackson,  Tenn., 
whence  he  moved  southward  to  La  Grange  in  the 
same  State.  At  the  same  time  he  concentrated 
other  troops  at  Memphis ;  his  object  being  to  compel  a 
considerable  force  of  Rebels  to  remain  in  his  front, 
while  he  sent  an  expedition  down  the  Mississippi  to 
attack  Vicksburg  in  the  rear  by  making  a  landing 
on  the  Yazoo  River,  which  comes  into  the  Mississippi 
a  few  miles  above  Vicksburg.  He  thought  that  by 
landing  there  it  would  be  possible  to  enter  the  place 
without  serious  difficulty.  As  for  the  front  of  Vicks- 
burg, an  attack  upon  that  was  quite  out  of  the  question. 


MOVING   ON   VICKSBURG.  265 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Vain  attempt  against  Vicksburg.  —  Grant's  long  line  of  communications. 
—  Dickey's  raid.  —  Rebels  capture  Holly  Springs.  —  Colonel  Bowers 
and  the  muster-roll.  — Grant  falls  back.  —  Movement  from  Memphis 
towards  Vicksburg.  —  Canal-digging.  — A  misfortune.  —  Various  ex- 
peditions. —  Playing  a  joke  on  the  Rebels.  —  Running  the  batteries.  — 
Landing  at  Grand  Gulf.  —  The  first  battle. 

In  advancing  south  from  Jackson,  Grant  had  a  long 
line  of  railway  to  protect,  and  it  became  longer  every 
time  he  advanced.  The  whole  country  through  which 
the  railway  ran  was  hostile  to  him  and  his  movements, 
and  it  required  a  large  force  of  men  to  keep  the  road 
open.  All  his  supplies  were  drawn  from  Columbus; 
and  he  realized  that  if  he  pushed  southward  to  the 
parallel  of  Vicksburg,  one-half  of  his  army  would  be 
required  to  guard  the  line  and  keep  it  open.  So  he 
determined  that  the  best  way  for  attacking  Vicksburg 
was  by  the  Mississippi  River  ;  in  the  meantime  holding 
as  many  of  the  Rebel  troops  in  front  of  him  as  he 
could. 

The  expedition  to  attempt  to  take  Vicksburg  in  the 
rear  by  way  of  the  Yazoo  River  proved  a  failure.  An 
attack  was  made  at  Haines's  Bluff,  thirteen  miles  from 
Vicksburg ;     but    contrary   to    expectation     the    place 


266  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

proved  to  be  strongly  fortified  and  well  defended. 
After  four  or  five  days  up  the  Yazoo  River,  the  expedi- 
tion retired,  and  went  into  camp  at  Milliken's  Bend 
on  the  western  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  twenty-five 
miles  above  Vicksburg. 

Meantime  Grant  had  pushed  south  to  Grenada,  Miss. ; 
and  he  realized  more  than  ever  the  difficulty  of  keeping 
open  a  long  line  in  consequence  of  a  disaster  which 
happened  to  him  one  day.  While  he  had  his  head- 
quarters at  Grenada,  he  sent  out  a  cavalry  expedition 
to  disable  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railway ;  it  was  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Dickey,  who  returned  on  the  19th 
of  December.  He  immediately  reported  to  General 
Grant,  and  said  he  had  effectually  torn  up  many  miles 
of  the  road,  burned  bridges,  and  did  all  the  destruction 
in  his  power. 

Grant  listened  quietly  to  the  report,  showing  no 
great  interest  until  Dickey  remarked  that  at  one  point 
he  crossed  the  rear  of  a  Rebel  column  which  was  esti- 
mated at  about  ten  thousand  strong,  and  was  reported 
to  be  moving  rapidly  towards  the  North. 

As  Dickey  said  these  words,  Grant  sprung  from 
his  chair,  rushed  to  his  desk,  and  wrote  out  an  order. 
Calling  for  one  of  his  aids,  he  said,  — 

"  Telegraph   that   order   immediately  !  " 

It  was  to  all  commanders  along  the  line  north  of 
Grenada,  and  told   them   to  call  in   all   their  detach- 


CAPTURE   OP    HOLLY   SPRINGS.  267 

ments,  exercise  the  utmost  vigilance,  and  if  attacked, 
to  defend  their  posts  at  all  hazards. 

The  orders  were  immediately  telegraphed.  Grant 
was  in  a  fever  of  excitement  all  that  day  and  the 
next.  He  expected  some  important  intelligence,  and 
did  not  have  long  to  wait  for  it. 

All  the  commanders  acted  promptly  upon  the  order 
with  a  single  exception ;  and  that  was  at  Holly  Springs, 
Miss.  He  was  a  man  who  took  things  easily;  and 
when  the  order  came  he  read  it,  and  then  waited  until 
next  morning  before  obeying  it. 

It  turned  out  that  Holly  Springs  was  the  objective 
point  of  the  Rebel  column  which  Colonel  Dickey 
reported.  Holly  Springs  had  been  made  the  principal 
depot  of  supplies  for  Grant's  army,  and  contained 
large  quantities  of  provisions,  forage,  and  war  ma- 
terial generally.  The  Rebels  appeared  there  one  morn- 
ing, and  held  possession  of  the  place  until  nightfall. 
They  destroyed  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  property, 
carried  away  some  of  the  garrison  as  prisoners,  and 
paroled  others.  They  endeavored  to  parole  every- 
body, as  they  did  not  want  the  bother  of  taking 
prisoners;  but  the  Union  soldiers  understood  the  sit- 
uation, and  most  of  them  refused  to  be  paroled. 

Colonel  Bowers  of  Grant's  staff  had  been  sent  to 
Holly  Springs  on  special  duty ;  and  one  evening  he 
was    occupied   making    a   roll     of   the  strength,    sup- 


268  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

plies,  and  location  of  every  post  in  Grant's  depart- 
ment. Such  a  document  would  have  been  worth 
thousands  of  dollars  to  the  Rebel  commander,  and 
Bowers  knew  this  well.  At  a  late  hour  he  finished 
the  paper,  rolled  it  up,  and  placed  it  on  the  mantel 
above  the  fireplace.  The  night  was  cold,  and  he  told 
the   sentry   to    replenish   the    fire    from  time  to  time. 

Early  the  next  morning  he  was  waked  by  an  al- 
tercation in  front  of  his  door.  He  stepped  from  his 
room,  and  found  that  two  men  were  trying  to  dis- 
arm the  sentinel.  It  took  but  a  glance  to  tell  him 
that  the  men  were  Rebel  soldiers,  and  he  quickly 
drew  the  inference  that  the  Rebels  held  the  town. 

Instantly  he  jumped  back  to  his  room,  and  threw 
that  precious  roll  of  manuscript  into  the  fire  which 
had  unfortunately  burned  very  low ;  then  he  returned 
to  the  door,  and  parleyed  with  the  captors  so  as  to 
give  the  paper  a  chance  to  burn.  The  coals  were 
almost  dead,  and  it  seemed  as  if  that  paper  would 
never  kindle  into  a  blaze.  He  kept  on  talking 
with  his  captors,  telling  them  where  they  would  find 
whisky,  tobacco,  and  other  things  of  which  some 
men  are  fond,  and  in  various  ways  entertained  them 
until  he  saw  the  paper  burst  into  flame.  Just 
then  the  men  came  into  the  office  and  the  blaze 
attracted  their  attention.  They  tried  to  save  the 
paper,  but  it  was  already  consumed. 


MARCHING   TO   MEMPHIS.  269 

General  Van  Dorn  was  at  the  head  of  the  raid, 
and  Bowers  was  taken  before  him.  He  found  Van 
Dorn  reading  Grant's  order-book  containing  the  or- 
ders for  the  battles  of  Iuka  and  Corinth.  Van  Dorn 
was  very  much  interested  in  these  orders,  as  he  com- 
manded in  both  battles.  He  carried  the  book  away 
with  him,  and  it  was  never   recovered. 

After  this  disaster,  Grant  withdrew  his  army  to 
Holly  Springs,  and  then  marched  across  country  to 
Memphis,  where  he  began  in  earnest  his  movement 
for  the  capture  of  Vicksburg  by  way  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. He  said  afterward  that  if  he  had  known 
how  easily  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  could  have 
lived  upon  the  country  without  any  base  of  supplies, 
he  would  have  marched  southward,  and  entered  Vicks- 
burg by  the  rear,  which  at  the  time  was  not  well 
fortified,  all  attention  being  given  to  the  front.  Down 
to  that  time  there  had  been  no  example  of  an  army 
of  such  magnitude  subsisting  in  an  enemy's  country, 
and  he  did  not  therefore  attempt  it.  As  already 
stated,  a  portion  of  the  army  was  already  at  Milli- 
ken's  Bend,  near  Vicksburg.  As  fast  as  the  divis- 
ions and  brigades  arrived  at  Memphis  from  the  in- 
terior, they  were  put  on  steamboats  and  transported  to 
the  camp  stretching  from  Milliken's  Bend  to  Young's 
Point,  opposite  Vicksburg ;  and  there  the  army  re- 
mained for  several  weeks. 


270  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

The  fleet  which  had  captured  New  Orleans,  and 
turned  the  city  over  to  General  Butler  and  his  land 
troops,  moved  up  the  river  with  little  opposition  as  far 
as  Vicksburg.  Some  of  the  vessels  ran  past  the  batter- 
ies and  anchored  above  Young's  Point,  where  they  met 
the  fleet  of  gunboats  from  above.  The  land  forces  fol- 
lowed this  fleet,  and  took  possession  of  Young's  Point. 
General  Williams,  who  commanded  this  force,  originated 
the  idea  of  digging  a  ditch  across  the  neck  of. Young's 
Point  and  opening  a  navigable  channel,  so  that  boats 
might  pass  up  and  down  without  danger  from  the 
batteries  of  Vicksburg.  His  idea  was  to  make  a  ditch 
.sufficiently  large  to  give  a  depth  of  a  few  feet  of  water, 
and  then  turn  the  river  into  it.  It  was  thought  that 
the  rapid  current  would  wash  away  the  earth  on  both 
sides  and  soon  make  a  navigable  channel. 

General  Williams's  troops  dug  a  ditch  which  had  a 
depth  of  only  a  few  inches  below  the  surface  of  the 
water.  The  river  was  let  in,  but  it  refused  to  cut  away 
the  earth ;  and  after  a  time  General  Williams  was  or- 
dered to  Port  Hudson,  farther  down  the  river,  and  the 
plan  was  abandoned. 

When  General  Grant  arrived,  he  professed  great  faith 
in  the  ditch  idea,  and  promptly  set  a  large  force  of  men 
at  work  to  enlarge  the  little  channel  which  Williams 
had  made.  As  the  general  had  faith  in  the  ditch,  his 
subordinates   had  it  likewise.     They  had  good  reason 


CUTTING    A    CANAL.  271 

for  it,  as  channels  had  been  made  across  necks  of  land 
in  several  places  along  the  great  river  in  just  the 
manner  described.  A  small  channel  was  dug  so  as  to 
let  in  a  foot  or  two  of  water,  and  the  river  "did  the 
rest."  An  old  resident  described  to  the  writer  the 
cutting  of  Raccourci  Bend,  where  the  river  formerly 
made  a  sweep  of  twenty-eight  miles  to  get  around  a 
point  whose  neck  was  less  than  half  a  mile  across. 

"The  channel  that  was  cut,"  said  he,  "was  about  ten 
feet  wide ;  and  when  it  was  opened  there  were  four  or 
five  feet  of  water  in  it.  The  river  was  rising,  but  for 
the  first  day  it  did  not  cut  away  much  earth.  The 
second  day  it  rose  more,  and  we  began  to  see  the  bank 
crumble.  By  the  morning  of  the  third  day  the  channel 
was  two  hundred  feet  wide ;  and  every  few  minutes  you 
could  see  a  big  piece  of  earth  tumbling  over  into  it. 
In  four  days  from  the  time  the  water  was  let  in,  there 
was  a  good  big  channel,  navigable  for  the  largest 
steamboats ;  and  one  of  them  came  up  the  river  that 
day,  and  went  through  it." 

For  the  greater  part  of  its  length,  the  Mississippi 
River  is  the  dividing  line  between  States.  Thus,  it 
separates  Iowa  and  Missouri  from  Illinois,  Kentucky 
from  Tennessee,  and  Mississippi  from  Louisiana.  The 
main  channel  is  the  dividing  line  ;  and  consequently 
when  a  so-called  cut-off  becomes  the  main  channel, 
property  is  transferred  from  one  State  to  another.     Be- 


272  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

fore  the  war,  a  plantation  in  Missouri  was  thus  sent 
over  into  Illinois  by  the  action  of  the  river  itself.  The 
slaves  on  that  plantation  were  liberated  by  the  action 
of  the  river.  ""Thus,  you  see,"  said  the  man  who  had 
narrated  the  circumstance  to  the  writer,  as  he  pointed 
out  the  locality,  "thus  you  see,  sir,  the  elements  them- 
selves are  in  favor  of  freedom."' 

At  one  time  Grant  had  as  many  as  four  thousand 
men  working  on  the  ditch,  with  an  equipment  of  carts, 
horses,  and  dredges.  Worked  was  pushed,  and  pro- 
gressed rapidly  until  the  pressure  of  the  water  broke 
the  dam  at  the  head  of  the  canal,  and  inundated  it 
completely.  The  men  who  were  in  the  canal  at  the 
time  escaped ;  but  the  carts  and  dredges  were  over- 
whelmed, and  many  horses  were  drowned.  Work  was 
abandoned  ;  but  it  was  understood  that  it  would  be  re- 
sumed as  soon  as  the  river  fell  sufficiently  to  permit  the 
building  of  a  new  dam  and  the  removal  of  the  water. 

The  Rebels  established  batteries  opposite  the  lower 
end  of  the  canal  so  as  to  command  it  completely ;  and 
General  Grant  proceeded  to  erect  similar  batteries  on 
his  side  of  the  river  in  order  to  silence  the  Rebel  fire. 
It  turned  out  afterward  that,  while  professing  great 
faith  in  the  canal  project,  Grant  had  no  faith  in  it 
whatever.  It  began  and  ended  in  eddies  in  the  river, 
and  therefore  there  would  have  been  no  current  to 
wash  it  out.     Even  if  finished,  the  Rebels  would  pre- 


KEEPING   UP   SPIRITS.  273 

vent  its  use  to  any  great  extent  by  the  batteries  before 
mentioned.  But  anything  was  better  than  idleness ; 
as  long  as  the  army  had  faith  in  the  canal,  and  were 
occupied  on  it,  they  were  not  likely  to  lose  heart,  as 
would  have  been  the  case  had  the  troops  lain  idle  for 
weeks  and  weeks  waiting  for  the  river  to  fall.  Nothing 
could  be  done  with  the  Mississippi  at  the  height  it  then 
was ;  but  it  was  difficult  to  make  everybody  understand 
the  state  of  affairs. 

With  the  same  spirit,  and  with  the  same  objects  in 
view,  Grant  sent  various  expeditions  to  open  possible 
water-ways  by  means  of  the  lakes,  rivers,  and  bayous  on 
the  western  side  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  all  the  way 
from  Memphis  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  One  of  his 
schemes  was  to  cut  the  levee  or  artificial  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  at  Lake  Providence  near  Milliken's  Bend. 
The  water  thus  let  in  flooded  an  immense,  area,  and 
such  was  its  depth  that  a  steamboat  was  floated  over 
cotton-  and  cornfields  several  miles  from  the  banks  of 
the  great  river.  The  scheme  was  to  reach  the  Red 
River,  and  afterwards  the  Mississippi,  by  following  a 
series  of  lakes  and  bayous  till  the  first  named  river 
was  reached.  One  after  another  of  these  plans  were 
carried  out  as  far  as  they  could  be  carried.  All  re- 
sulted in  failure  as  to  their  ostensible  objects ;  but 
on  the  other  Land  they  were  all  successful  in  keeping 
the  army  occupied  and  in  good  spirits,  and  at  the  same 


274  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

time  hoodwinking  the  enemy,  and  greatly  disturbing 
his   peace   of   mind. 

The  real  movement  for  the  capture  of  Vicksburg  was 
all  the  time  being  perfected  in  Grant's  mind ;  but  he 
dared  not  mention  it  to  any  one,  not  even  to  an  officer 
of  his  staff.  He  discussed  with  Admiral  Porter  the 
possibility  of  running  the  batteries  with  gunboats  and 
transports,  but  gave  no  hint  as  to  the  use  he  would 
make  of  them  in  case  they  got  safely  through  below 
Vicksburg. 

One  of  the  gunboats,  the  Indianola,  had  run  the  bat- 
teries some  time  before,  and  after  a  series  of  adventures 
had  been  captured  by  the  Rebels,  and  was  tied  up  at 
the  shore  below  Vicksburg  undergoing  repairs.  Porter 
suggested  that  a  dummy  should  be  sent  down  to  feel 
the  batteries,  and  find  out  where  they  were.  Grant 
assented  to  the  idea,  and  an  old  coal-barge  was  fitted  up 
to  resemble  a  steamboat.  She  had  chimneys  made  of 
pork-barrels  piled  endwise,  one  on  top  of  another ;  and 
in  the  topmost  barrel  of  each  chimney  there  was  a 
quantity  of  tar,  mixed  with  sand  and  sawdust  so  that  it 
would  smoke  furiously  while  burning.  Furnaces  were 
built  of  old  brick,  and  filled  with  a  mixture  of  tar  and 
coal ;  and  a  small  out-building  from  a  plantation  was 
stood  up  between  the  chimneys  as  a  pilot-house. 

One  dark  night  this  bogus  steamboat  was  towed 
down    to   within    two   miles   of   Vicksburg,   and   then 


"A   YANKEE  TRICK."  275 

allowed  to  drift  with  the  current.  The  batteries 
opened  fire  on  her,  the  long  roll  was  beaten,  and  the 
whole  garrison  was  under  arms.  A  Confederate  gun- 
boat lying  at  the  Vicksburg  landing-place  fled  in  terror 
down  the  river  for  fear  of  being  destroyed  by  the  terri- 
ble monster.  All  the  batteries  fired  repeatedly  at  the 
dreaded  foe,  and  the  Rebels  blew  up  the  captured  gun- 
boat Indianola  for  fear  of  losing  her.  The  stranger 
finally  went  aground  on  a  shoal  close  to  the  Vicksburg 
shore,  and  about  three  miles  below  the  town.  The 
reader  may  imagine  the  disgust  of  the  Rebels,  from  the 
highest  general  down  to  the  lowest  private  soldier, 
when  they  found  how  they  had  been  deceived. 

Shortly  after  this  exploit  the  wooden  steamer,  Queen 
of  the  West,  which  had  been  fitted  up  as  a  ram,  went 
past  the  batteries  of  Vicksburg  in  the  gray  of  the  early 
dawn.  In  passing  she  delivered  a  blow  with  her  prow 
and  fired  several  shots  from  her  guns  at  the  Rebel  gun- 
boat City  of  Vicksburg,  which  was  lying  at  the  land- 
ing. During  the  delay  thus  caused,  and  while  she  was 
under  the  fire  of  the  batteries,  she  was  penetrated  by  a 
dozen  or  more  shots.  She  escaped  with  little  injury, 
and  created  a  great  deal  of  havoc  among  the  Rebel 
transports  and  the  supply-boats  on  the  Mississippi  and 
Red  Rivers,  until  she  was  finally  captured. 

Her  exploit  led  the  river  men  to  say  that  any  of  the 
boats  could  run  the  batteries  just  as  well  as  the  Queen 
of  the  West. 


276  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Early  in  April  the  grand  movement  began.  Grant 
marched  a  division  of  his  army  down  the  west  bank  of 
the  Mississippi  to  New  Carthage,  which  is  several  miles 
below  Vicksburg.  On  the  night  of  the  16th  there  was 
a  commotion  in  Vicksburg.  Porter's  flag-ship,  the  Ben- 
ton, led  the  fleet  of  gunboats  and  transports  past  the 
batteries  amid  the  fire  from  the  Rebel  guns  which  lined 
the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  for  miles.  The  gunboats 
engaged  the  batteries,  while  the  transports,  with  their 
boilers  protected  by  bales  of  hay,  hugged  the  Louisi- 
ana shore  as  closely  as  possible.  The  Rebels  burned 
great  bonfires  and  set  houses  ablaze,  so  that  the  whole 
river  was  lighted  up. 

For  two  hours  and  more  the  procession  of  river  craft 
kept  on,  and  during  all  that  time  the  thunder  of  the 
cannon  could  be  heard  for  many  miles  around.  One 
transport  was  set  on  fire  by  an  exploding  shell  and 
burned.  Her  crew  took  to  small  boats  and  escaped. 
None  of  the  men  on  the  gunboats  were  killed,  and  only 
eight  were  wounded.  On  the  transports  not  a  single 
man  was  injured.  The  fleet  arrived  at  New  Carthage 
before  daylight,  and  was  warmly  greeted  by  the  divis- 
ion of  Grant's  army  that  waited  there. 

A  week  later  another  expedition  of  six  transports 
and  twelve  barges  ran  the  batteries  in  the  same  way. 
One  steamer  and  six  barges  were  sunk,  and  one  man 
killed  and  five  or  six  wounded.     The  soldiers  began  to 


BATTLE   OF   GRAND   GULF.  277 

hold  the  batteries  in  great  contempt,  and  many  of  them 
said  they  would  much  rather  take  the  risk  of  running 
down  the  river  on  steamboats  than  endure  the  fatigue 
of  marching  overland  to  New  Carthage. 

One  division  followed  another,  and  in  a  very  short 
time  Grant  had  the  bulk  of  his  army  concentrated 
below  Vicksburg.  His  next  move  was  to  capture  Grand 
Gulf,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  and  com- 
manding the  mouth  of  the  Big  Black  River.  Until  it 
was  in  Union  hands  Grant  was  unable  to  make  the 
next  move  for  the  capture  of  Vicksburg. 

McClernand's  division  was  embarked  on  transports 
ready  to  move  when  the  signal  was  given.  The  gun- 
boat fleet  steamed  down  the  river,  and  attacked  the 
batteries  at  Grand  Gulf;  but  the  attack  proved  a  fail- 
ure. The  battle  lasted  five  hours ;  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  not  a  gun  of  the  enemy  had  been  silenced, 
but  the  fleet  had  suffered  badly.  On  board  the  Ben- 
ton, the  admiral's  flag-ship,  a  shell  exploded,  killing 
and  wounding  more  than  twenty  men.  Every  vessel  of 
the  gunboat  fleet  was  hit  repeatedly,  one  of  them  more 
than  forty  times.  Porter  drew  off  at  the  time  men- 
tioned, and  was  joined  by  Grant,  who  had  watched  the 
fight  from  the  deck  of  a  small  tug.  Porter  declared 
that  it  was  impossible  to  take  the  batteries  with  the 
gunboats.  The  position  of  the  upper  batteries  was 
such  that  they  could  not  engage  them  effectively. 


278  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"All  right,"  replied  Grant;  "you've  done  your 
best;  you  may  attack  again  after  dark  this  evening. 
You  will  thus  draw  the  attention  of  the  Rebels,  and 
while  you  are  engaging  them,  the  transports  can  run 
quietly  past  and  make  a  landing  below  Grand  Gulf. 

Grant's  plan  was  carried  out,  and  the  transports 
slipped  by,  quite  unknown  to  the  Rebels.  As  many 
men  as  the  transports  could  carry  were  ferried  over  to 
Bruinsburg,  where  there  was  a  good  landing ;  and  Gen- 
eral Grant  had  learned  that  there  was  a  good  road 
running  back  to  Port  Gibson,  where  the  Rebels  had  a 
small  garrison. 

The  movement  was  successfully  carried  out,  and 
without  opposition.  Two  divisions  of  Grant's  army 
landed  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Mississippi  with 
good  roads  in  front  of  them,  which  would  place  them 
in  the  rear  of  Grand  Gulf  and  also  of  Vicksburg. 
Transportation  was  limited,  and  the  army  stripped  for 
a  rapid  campaign.  Every  ounce  of  weight  that  could 
possibly  be  spared  was  left  behind.  The  soldiers 
carried  their  clothing,  arms,  and  ammunition,  and 
hardly  anything  else.  The  leader  set  the  example ; 
he  took  no  tent  for  himself,  nor  even  a  change  of 
clothing.  His  entire  personal  baggage  consisted  of  a 
tooth-brush,  a  pouch  of  tobacco,  a  pocket-knife,  and  a 
briar-wood  pipe.  For  the  first  day  he  had  no  horse, 
and  neither  did  any  of  his  staff.     On  the  second  day 


MEETING   THE   ENEMY.  279 

the  horses  were  brought  over,  and  the  officers  had  their 
usual  mounts. 

The  first  encounter  with  the  enemy  took  place 
when  the  head  of  McClernand's  division  was  about 
eight  miles  back  from  the  river.  It  began  with  a 
skirmish  that  speedily  developed  into  a  battle ;  and 
the  battle  became  so  strong  that  it  was  necessary  to 
order  up  Logan's  division  to  take  part  in  the  affair. 
Logan  came  promptly ;  and  with  his  customary  dash 
and  enthusiasm  he  rushed  into  the  fight,  followed  by 
his  equally  enthusiastic  soldiers. 

The  battle  was  obstinately  contested,  but  it  re- 
sulted favorably  to  the  Union  arms.  The  last  posi- 
tion for  which  the  enemy  contended  was  a  ravine 
among  the  hills;  and  in  trying  to  take  it  the  attack- 
ing force  suffered  a  heavy  loss.  General  McPherson 
was  sent  around  to  make  an  attack  in  the  rear.  His 
movement  was  completely  successful.  He  reached  the 
Rebel  rear  quite  undiscovered ;  and  when  his  soldiers 
burst  from  their  concealment  with  a  loud  yell,  the 
enemy  took  to  flight  immediately. 

Fighting  continued  until  nightfall,  and  then  the 
army  halted.  The  soldiers  bivouacked  on  the  ground 
as  best  they  could;  and  most  of  their  officers  did  like- 
wise, as  all  were  without  tents  or  baggage.  Grant 
and  his  staff  slept  in  a  fine  house,  which  had  been 
deserted   by  its  white  owners  and   left   in   charge   of 


280  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  negro  servants.  The  negroes  gave  their  guests 
an  excellent  supper  and  breakfast,  and  furnished 
them  with  the  softest  of  beds  on  which  to  sleep.  In 
the  morning  two  large  white  horses  were  discovered 
in  the  stable,  and  brought  forward  for  the  use  of  the 
staff.  By  this  time  the  staff  was  pretty  well  mounted, 
and  from  that  time  on  there  was  no  lack  of  horses 
around  general  headquarters. 


CAPTURE   OF    POET   GIBSON.  281 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Intercepted  dispatches.  — The  march  continued.  —  Battle  of  Raymond. 

—  Capture  of  Jackson.  —  Destruction  of  rebel  factories  and  store- 
houses.—  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston.  —  Pemberton  comes  out  to 
meet  Grant. —  Battle  of  Champion  Hills,  and  defeat  of  rebels.  —  Pem- 
berton retires  to  Vicksburg.  —  Investment  of  the  place.  —  The  siege. 

—  Exploding  a  mine.  —  Famine  in  Vicksburg. 

Port  Gibson  was  captured  and  occupied  the  next 
morning.  In  the  telegraph  office  was  found  a  dis- 
patch from  General  Bowen,  the  commander  at  Grand 
Gulf,  to  General  Pemberton  at  Vicksburg,  urging  the 
latter  to  hurry  up  reinforcements.  While  General 
Grant  was  reading  this  message,  a  flag  of  truce  came 
from  General  Bowen,  asking  for  a  suspension  of  hos- 
tilities, and  permission  to  enter  the  Union  lines  to 
bury  the  dead  and  remove  the  wounded.  Grant  ac- 
knowledged to  Bowen  the  receipt  of  his  request,  and 
referred  in  his  letter  to  the  captured  dispatch,  which 
suggested  to  him  that  the  flag  of  truce  was  merely  a 
pretext  to  gain  time.  Consequently  he  declined 
Bowen's  request,  assuring  him  that  the  dead  would 
be  buried  and  the  wounded  cared  for. 

The  capture  of  Port  Gibson  caused  the  evacuation 
of   Grand    Gulf,    which  speedily   became   the   base   of 


282  boys'  life  of  general  gbant. 

supplies  for  Grant's  army.  Stores  were  accumulated 
there  as  fast  as  they  could  be  brought  down  from 
above  Vicksburg,  and  pushed  forward  to  Grant's 
army;  so  that  it  was  fairly  well  supplied.  Grant 
lived  upon  the  country  as  far  as  it  was  possible  to 
do  so;  and  foraging  parties  were  constantly  kept  at 
work  to  bring  in  all  the  cattle  that  could  be  found, 
together  with  all  other  material  suitable  for  food. 

But  the  plan  was  a  bold  one,  —  more  than  a  bold 
one;  it  was  audacious.  Grant  was  moving  towards 
the  rear  of  a  city  which  contained  at  that  time  move 
troops  than  he  had  under  his  immediate  command, 
and  reinforcements  to  a  number  not  ascertained  were 
moving  in  the  direction  of  Vicksburg.  It  was  necessary 
to  strike  the  line  of  railway  leading  into  Vicksburg 
before  these  reinforcements  could  arrive.  If  he  could 
light  the  enemy  in  detail  he  might  win  ;  but  if  he  al- 
lowed them  to  unite  with  Pemberton's  forces  in  Vicks- 
burg, the  combined  strength  would  be  too  much  for  him. 

Grant  decided  to  cut  loose  from  his  base,  take  as 
much  provisions  as  his  men  could  carry,  and  move 
as  rapidty  as  possible,  so  as  to  intercept  the  rein- 
forcements that  were  coming  from  the  east.  He  sent 
word  to  General  Halleck  that  lie  should  not  com- 
municate any  more  with  Grand  Gulf,  and  could  not 
say  at  what  point  he  might  next  be  heard  from. 
The   course   of    the    Big   Black   River,  which   by   the 


MOVING   TOWARDS   JACKSON,  MISS.  283 

way  is  a  very  crooked  stream,  is  generally  south-west. 
Grant  marched  along  its  eastern  side,  thus  keeping 
the  river  between  himself  and  Pemberton,  and  mak- 
ing of  it  a  good  protection  for  his  left  flank. 

Grant  reached  the  line  of  railway  at  Edwards's 
Depot,  and  concentrated  his  whole  army  at  that  point 
and  at  Bolton,  a  short  distance  to  the  north  and 
east.  At  a  small  town  called  Raymond,  McPherson's 
division  on  the  extreme  right  encountered  a  force 
of  about  five  thousand  Rebels  under  General  Gregg ; 
and  they  made  a  stubborn  fight,  which  lasted  three 
hours  and  more.  At  the  end  of  the  battle  the  Rebels 
retreated;  and  somewhat  to  Grant's  surprise  they  re- 
treated to  the  east,  and  not  toward  Vicksburg.  He 
immediately  surmised  that  reinforcements  were  com- 
ing from  the  east ;  and  he  decided  at  once  that  it 
would  never  do,  even  if  he  should  defeat  Pemberton, 
to  allow  such  a  force  in  his  rear. 

His  original  intention  was  to  press  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Vicksburg,  and  send  a  small  expedition  to 
Jackson  to  destroy  the  supplies  there  ;  but  on  hear- 
ing this  intelligence  he  instantly  changed  all  his 
plans,  and  issued  orders  for  the  entire  army  to  move 
in  the  direction  of  Jackson,  the  capital  of  Missis- 
sippi, and  the  junction  of  several  railways,  to  de- 
stroy whatever  military  stores  had  been  accumulated 
there,  and  disable  the  railways. 


284  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Before  the  movement  began,  Grant  learned  from  the 
country  people,  particularly  from  the  negroes,  that 
there  was  a  considerable  force  at  Jackson  ready  to 
!ight  him.  He  pressed  forward;  and  his  advance  en- 
countered the  enemy  at  Clinton,  several  miles  to  the 
west  of  Jackson.  This  was  on  the  13th  of  May ; 
and  on  that  day  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston  arrived 
at  Jackson,  and  assumed  command  of  all  the  Confed- 
erate troops  in  Mississippi.  Grant  expected  that 
Johnston  would  send  word  to  Pemberton  to  come  out 
from  Vicksburg  and  attack  Grant's  rear,  while  John- 
ston himself  would  attack  in  front. 

"  At  any  rate,"  Grant  said,  "  that  is  what  I  should 
do  under  similar  circumstances."  It  turned  out  that 
Johnston  did  give  exactly  such  an  order. 

By  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  May,  Johnston  had 
a  force  of  eleven  thousand  men  under  his  command, 
confronted  by  abouu  twenty-five  thousand  of  Grant's 
troops.  It  rained  heavily  during  the  night  of  the 
13th  and  the  morning  of  the  14th,  putting  the  roads 
into  a  horrible  condition.  The  ground  was  covered 
with  water;  but  the  soldiers  trudged  steadily  along, 
and  were  ready  for  the  work  required  of  them.  As 
they  moved  in  upon  the  city,  they  found  it  well 
fortified.  The  two  divisions  of  the  Union  army 
stretched  out,  and  lapped  around  the  fortifications  on 
either  side.     Johnston  saw  that  his  enemy  was  much 


JACKSON    CAPTURED.  285 

stronger  than  himself;  and  after  a  little  fighting  he 
ordered  a  retreat,  leaving  most  of  his  artillery  to  be 
captured.  With  slight  opposition  the  Union  troops 
pressed  forward,  and  a  little  past  noon  the  Union 
flag  was  flying  over  the  State  House  of  Mississippi. 

The  retreating  Rebels  set  fire  to  their  store-houses, 
and  destroyed  a  large  amount  of  army  supplies. 
Nearly  all  business  had  stopped,  and  the  town  was 
quiet,  although  there  was  one  manufactory  of  tent- 
cloth  in  full  operation.  The  operatives,  mostly  women, 
remained  at  their  posts;  and  the  manager  attended  to 
his  duties  as  though  nothing  had  happened.  Accom- 
panied by  several  of  his  officers,  General  Grant  visited 
this  factory ;  and  after  looking  on  for  a  while  as  the 
machines  were  turning  out  rolls  of  cloth  with  the 
letters  "  C.  S.  A."  woven  into  each  piece  at  regular 
intervals,  he  suggested  that  it  was  time  to  stop  the 
business.  He  told  the  manager  to  notify  the  opera- 
tives to  quit  work  immediately,  and  that  they  might 
take  away,  for  their  own  use,  as  much  clothing  as 
they  could  carry.  They  obeyed  the  order  with  alac- 
rity ;  and  as  soon  as  they  had  departed  the  factory 
was  set  on  fire  and  consumed,  together  with  several 
hundred  bales  of    cotton  that  were  piled  around  it. 

General  Grant  intercepted  a  dispatch  from  John- 
ston to  Pemberton,  telling  him  to  come  out  and  at- 
tack   Grant's    army.     Satisfied    that    the    dispatch  was 


-00  BOYS     LIFE    OF    GENERAL    GRANT. 

genuine,  Grant  made  a  dispersion  of  his  troops  to 
prevent  the  success  of  Johnston's  plan.  Through  the 
inhabitants  of  the  country  he  kept  fully  informed  of 
the  movements  of  Johnston  and  Pemberton  ;  and  he 
maneuvered,  so  as  to  bring  on  an  engagement  at 
Champion  Hills. 

Pemberton  selected  that  position  for  an  engage- 
ment, and  it  was  a  very  good  selection  indeed.  It 
is  one  of  the  highest  of  the  hills  in  the  whole  region 
about,  and  commanded  the  ground  in  every  direction. 
There  are  roads  running  from  Champion  Hills  to 
several  points  of  the  compass ;  and  Pemberton's  forces 
covered  all  these  roads,  so  that  the  enemy  could  by 
no  possibility  make  an  advance  towards  the  hill  with- 
out being  discovered. 

The  Rebel  pickets  were  driven  in  early  in  the  fore- 
noon of  the  16th  of  May  ;  and  it  wasn't  long  before 
the  skirmishing  developed  into  a  battle,  which  soon 
became  severe,  especially  with  McPherson's  and  Lo- 
gan's divisions.  At  one  time  Logan's  division  was 
between  Pemberton  and  Vicksburg,  so  that  the  Rebel 
line  of  retreat  was  cut  off ;  but  neither  Grant  nor 
Logan  knew  it  at  the  time.  The  figditincr  became 
so  severe  on  the  other  front  of  the  battle,  that  Gen- 
eral Hovey,  who  commanded  the  assault,  sent  for  re- 
inforcements. In  order  to  strengthen  him,  a  portion 
of   Logan's   division  was   moved  around  until  it  met 


Battle  of  Fredericksburg. 


PEMBERTON  DEFEATED.  28T 

Hovey's  flank.  This  movement  uncovered  the  line 
of  retreat  towards  Vicksburg,  whereupon  the  enemy 
embraced  the  opportunity,  and  retreated  in  the  direc- 
tion of  their  fortifications. 

The  battle  lasted  altogether  about  four  hours,  and 
before  it  fairly  opened  there  were  at  least  two  hours 
of  pretty  heavy  skirmishing.  About  fifteen  thousand, 
Union  troops  were  actually  engaged  in  the  fight;  and 
the  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  fully  twenty-five 
hundred.  Pemberton's  loss  was  over  three  thousand 
killed  and  wounded,  and  about  three  thousand  prison- 
ers. If  General  Grant  had  been  able  to  bring  up  all 
his  troops,  the  probability  is  that  he  would  have  cap- 
tured the  whole  force  that  was  with  Pemberton.  One 
division  of  Pemberton's  army,  under  General  Loring, 
did  not  get  back  to  Vicksburg  at  all.  Its  line  of 
retreat  was  cut  off ;  and  it  was  obliged  to  march  to 
the  south,  and  by  a  circuitous  route  join  the  forces 
under  Johnston. 

Pemberton  fell  back  to  Vicksburg,  contrary  to  the 
orders  he  had  received  from  Johnston.  Johnston  di- 
rected him  that,  if  unsuccessful  in  an  encounter  with 
the  enemy,  he  was  to  make  a  night  march  to  the 
Big  Black,  and  by  moving  north  and  east  make  a 
junction  with  Johnston.  Of  course  that  movement 
would  have  abandoned  Vicksburg;  but  it  would  have 
avoided  a  worse  calamity,  that  of  surrendering  the 
place  six  weeks  later  with  all  its  garrison. 


288  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

The  Rebels  made  a  stand  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Big  Black,  but  were  quickly  dispersed  after  a  sharp 
light  of  less  than  an  hour.  The  enemy  succeeded  in 
burning  the  bridge  just  after  crossing;  and  as  the 
river  was  high,  the  advance  of  the  Union  forces  was 
temporarily  stopped.  Three  temporary  bridges  were 
constructed,  — -  one  of  rafts  fastened  together,  and  an- 
other of  cotton-bales  similarly  fastened.  The  third 
one  was  made  by  felling  trees  from  opposite  sides  of 
the  river,  so  that  they  would  fall  across  the  stream 
with  their  branches  interlaced  and  without  entirely 
severing  the  trees  from  their  stumps.  The  interla- 
cing branches  were  firmly  fastened  together,  and  then 
the  bridge  was  built  above  with  the  trees  to  support 
it.  In  less  than  twenty  hours  from  the  time  the 
Rebels  were  driven  away,  all  three  of  the  bridges 
were  finished,  and  the  troops  were  marching  across. 
Had  it  not  been  for  the  destruction  of  the  original 
bridge,  it  is  probable  that  Grant's  troops  would  have 
pursued  so  closely  on  the  demoralized  and  retreating 
enemy  that  they  would  have  entered  Vicksburg  and 
captured  it  Avithout  serious  opposition.  The  time 
lost  in  their  advance  by  the  destruction  of  the  bridge 
was  of  great  value  to  the  Confederates. 

There  was  no  more  serious  fighting  between  the 
two  armies  until  the  rear  of  Vicksburg  was  reached, 
and  the  right  wing  of   the  army  rested   on    Haines's 


"  HARD-TACK."  2S9 

Bluff,  and  opened  communication  with  the  gunboat 
fleet,  and  the  transports  that  were  waiting  there  with 
supplies  for  the  army.  Immediately  roads  were  built; 
and  as  fast  as  the  teams  could  move  them,  cases 
and  barrels  and  bags  and  boxes  of  provisions  were 
brought  forward  and  distributed.  Cheer  upon  cheer 
greeted  the  commissary  wagons  as  they  arrived  and 
discharged  their  burdens.  The  men  had  now  been 
out  more  than  twenty  days,  with  only  five  days' 
rations.  They  had  lived  upon  the  country,  and  on 
the  whole  had  lived  well;  but  they  longed  for  reg- 
ular supplies  of  the  bacon  and  other  food  to  which 
they  were  accustomed. 

Just  before  the  provisions  came,  General  Grant 
happened  to  be  riding  along  the  line  when  one  of 
the  soldiers  said  under  his  breath,  "  Hard -tack." 
The  cry  was  taken  up  by  the  others,  and  very  quickly 
it  was  in  every  mouth.  General  Grant  appreciated 
the  situation  ;  and  stopping  his  horse  for  a  moment, 
he  said,- — • 

"Boys,  we're  building  roads  to  bring  you  provis- 
ions just  as  soon  as  we  can  get  them  to  you." 

This  was  enough.'  Cheer  upon  cheer  rose  from 
the  long  line,  and  the  cheering  did  not  die  away  until 
the  general  was  out  of  sight. 

General  Grant  drew  his  lines  around  Vicksburg ; 
and  when    he   did  so  he   had  fewer  men   in  his  com- 


290  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

niand  than  were  afterwards  surrendered  by  General 
Pemberton.  He  sent  to  Washington  asking  for  re- 
inforcements, meantime  strengthening  his  position  as 
much  as  possible.  There  was  constant  skirmishing 
for  several  da}^s,  and  on  one  or  two  occasions  it  rose 
almost  to  the  extent  of  a  battle.  On  the  22d  of 
May  an  assault  was  made  on  all  parts  of  the  line; 
and  at  several  points  the  troops  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing the  enemy's  parapets  and  planting  their  flags 
upon  them ;  but  at  no  place  were  they  able  to  enter. 
The  fighting  did  not  end  until  nightfall,  when  the 
troops  retired  from  the  positions  they  had  gained. 
Thus  ended  the  last  assault  upon  Vicksburg. 

Now  began  the  siege.  The  line  of  investment  was 
more  than  fifteen  miles  long,  extending  from  Haines's 
Bluff,  above  Vicksburg,  to  Warrenton,  below  the 
city.  The  Rebel  line  was  about  seven  miles  long. 
Grant  had  far  too  few  troops  to  hold  such  a  long 
line ;  and  in  addition,  he  had  to  watch  out  for  John- 
ston, who  might  attack  him  at  any  moment.  Re- 
inforcements were  needed,  and  they  came  promptly. 
General  Halleck  appreciated  the  situation  fully,  and 
hurried  reinforcements  and  supplies  to  Grant  with 
great  rapidity. 

The  investing  lines  around  Vicksburg  were  formed 
on  the  18th  of  May.  In  twenty  days  Grant's  army 
had    marched    two   hundred    miles,  and    fought    five 


COURTESIES    OF   THE   SIEGE.  291 

battles  ;  it  had  taken  six  thousand  prisoners,  and  had 
killed  and  wounded  as  many  more;  it  had  captured 
ninety  pieces  of  artillery,  destroyed  the  Rebel  store- 
houses and  factories  at  Jackson,  cut  off  Pemberton's 
communications,  and  bottled  him  up  in  Vicksburg. 
And  all  this  had  been  accomplished  with  a  loss  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing  of  a  little  over  four 
thousand  men  ! 

The  siege-works  were  pushed  all  along  the  line, 
and  in  some  places  besieged  and  besiegers  were  only 
a  few  yards  apart.  There  was  constant  skirmishing 
and  sharp-shooting  on  both  sides,  and  many  men  fell 
under  the  bullets  of  their  enemies.  The  ditches  were 
so  close  together  that  the  opposing  pickets  frequently 
talked  to  each  other  in  a  friendly  and  familiar  way, 
and  sometimes  the'  Union  men  exchanged  coffee  or 
tea  for  packages  of  tobacco.  Tobacco  was  abundant 
in  the  Confederate  lines ;  but  coffee  and  tea  were 
very  scarce,  so  that  the  trade  was  generally  to  the 
advantage  of  the  Northern  side. 

Sometimes  there  was  quite  an  exchange  of  rough 
wit  in  the  dialogues  between  the  opposing  sides. 
One  day  a  newspaper  writer  who  had  gone  to  the 
Union  front  made  a  memorandum  of  a  conversation 
like  this  :  — ■ 

"  What  are  you-uns  doin'  out  there  ?  "  a  Rebel  picket 
called  out. 


292  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"  Guarding  thirty  thousand  of  you  prisoners,  and 
making  you  board  yourselves,"  was  the  reply. 

"Good  enough,"  retorted  the  Rebel.  "Why  don't 
you  come  and  take  Vicksburg?" 

"  We  don't  want  to  just  now,"  replied  the  Union 
soldier ;  "  Grant  is  waiting  for  the  transportation  to 
take  you  up  North." 

"  We've  got  a  lot  of  your  old  flags  here  ;  what  shall 
we  do  with  them?  " 

"Make  shirts  of  'em,"  replied  the  Northerner. 
"  They'll  look  better  than  your  old  butternut." 

"  Will  you  trade  coffee  for  tobacco?  " 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  answer,  "  just  to  oblige  you, 
but  we've  got  lots  of  both.     Fling  'er  over  here." 

Occasionally  it  would  be  agreed  among  the  soldiers 
that  they  would  suspend  firing  for  a  stipulated  number 
of  minutes.  That  would  give  an  opportunity  for  a 
good-natured  parley  in  full  view  of  each  other.  On 
several  occasions  of  this  sort  the  Rebel  soldiers  took 
the  opportunity  to  escape  into  the  Union  lines,  where- 
upon General  Pemberton  issued  an  order  prohibiting 
any  more  of  these  friendly  arrangements. 

Pemberton  was  not  an  able  commander,  but  he  was 
thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  the  rebellion.  Notwith- 
standing these  circumstances,  lie  was  frequently  ac- 
cused by  his  own  people  of  sympathizing  with  the 
North.      He   endeavored   to   set   these  rumors  at  rest 


FAMINE    IN    ViCKSBURG.  293 

one  day  by  a  speech  to  his  men,  of  which  the  following 
is  an  extract : — 

"  You  have  heard  that  I  was  incompetent  and  a  traitor, 
and  that  it  was  my  intention  to  sell  Vicksburg.  When 
the  last  pound  of  beef,  bacon,  and  flour,  the  last  grain  of 
corn,  the  last  cow,  and  hog,  and  horse,  and  mule,  shall 
have  been  consumed,  and  the  last  man  shall  have  perished 
in  the  trenches,  then,  and  only  then,  will  I  surrender 
Vicksburg ! " 

Within  a  week  after  the  beginning  of  the  siege,  there 
were  evidences  of  famine  in  Vicksburg.  The  soldiers 
were  put  on  half-rations,  and  the  same  rule  was  adopted 
in  regard  to  citizens.  Several  times  General  Pember- 
ton  endeavored  to  negotiate  with  General  Grant  to 
send  away  the  citizens,  together  with  their  families ; 
but  each  time  the  proposition  was  emphatically  refused. 
Grant  said :  — 

"  I  am  sorry  for  the  unfortunate  citizens ;  but  this 
is  war,  and  we  are  besieging  Vicksburg.  The  more 
people  that  remain  there,  the  sooner  must  the  city 
surrender.  If  I  allow  Pemberton  to  send  away  all 
noncombatants,  it  will  prolong  the  siege.  My  inten- 
tion is  to  shorten  it.  Therefore  everybody  now  in 
the  place  must  remain  there  ! ' 

Flour  rose  in  the  besieged  city  to  one  thousand  dol- 
lars a  barrel  in  Confederate  currency,  and  meat  sold 
for  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  a  pound.     Diseases 


294  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

caused  by  hunger,  fatigue,  and  terror  added  to  the 
horrors  of  the  condition  of  the  besieged.  All  parts 
of  the  city  were  readied  by  the  Union  shot  and  shell. 
Soldiers  in  the  hospitals,  citizens  in  their  offices,  and 
men,  women,  and  children  in  their  homes,  were  killed 
by  the  shells.  Many  of  the  citizens  resorted  to  caves 
dug-  in  the  bluffs  on  which  Vicksburg-  stands.  Some 
of  the  excavations  were  of  considerable  size,  and  were 
furnished  with  carpets,  beds,  chairs,  tables,  and  other 
things  brought  from  the  houses.  Most  of  these  caves 
were  bomb-proof,  but  unhappily  all  were  not  so.  Oc- 
casionally a  shot  or  shell  penetrated  through  to  the 
interior  of  a  cave,  and  killed  or  wounded  the  occupants. 
In  one  case  a  child,  sleeping  by  its  mother's  side,  was 
torn  in  pieces  by  a  shell  which  came  through  the  roof 
of  the  cave  and  then  exploded. 

So  great  was  the  scarcity  of  food  that  every  cat  and 
dog  around  Vicksburg  was  slaughtered  and  eaten.  In 
many  instances  rats  and  mice  were  caught  for  the  same 
purpose ;  and  some  of  the  poorer  people,  together  with 
some  of  the  soldiers,  became  experienced  ratters  in  the 
struggle  to  support  life.  It  was  learned  that  some  of 
the  inhabitants  had  secreted  quantities  of  food  in  their 
houses  previous  to  the  siege,  in  expectation  of  a  calam- 
ity of  the  very  kind  which  had  arrived.  General  Pem- 
berton  ordered  a  search  of  all  suspected  houses,  and 
a  seizure  for  army  purposes  of  everything  that  should 


SUFFERINGS    OF   BESIEGERS   AND   BESIEGED.     295 

be  discovered.  For  the  last  two  days  of  the  siege 
everybody  was  reduced  to  one-quarter  rations ;  and 
there  was  loud  complaining  by  the  soldiers,  who  were 
nearly  ready  for  mutiny.  Nearly  every  horse  and 
mule  in  Vicksburg  had  been  slaughtered.  The  only 
horses  that  escaped  were  those  of  General  Pemberton 
and  his  staff,  together  with  those  of  the  highest  offi- 
cers serving  under  him. 

Grant's  army  was  well  supplied  with  provisions, 
which  were  landed  at  Haines's  Bluff,  and  then  brought 
by  wragons  for  distribution  along  the  rear  of  the  line. 
The  soldiers  suffered  greatly  from  dysentery,  caused 
by  the  unwholesome  water  which  they  were  compelled 
to  use.  The  officers  were  in  the  same  category  as  the 
men,  and  some  of  them  were  ill  the  most  of  the  time. 
The  negroes  living  in  the  neighborhood  brought  *n 
some  roots  and  herbs  as  remedies ;  one  of  them,  called 
dittan}r,  was  especially  recommended,  and  its  effica- 
ciousness was  shown  by  a  few  trials.  Under  its  heal- 
ing influence  many  of  the  sufferers  in  the  army 
recovered  their  health  in  a  short  time. 

After  digging  twelve  miles  of  trenches,  and  getting 
two  hundred  pieces  of  artillery  in  position,  Grant 
caused  a  mine  to  be  made  under  Fort  Hill,  one  of  the 
strongest  points  of  the  Rebel  defenses.  It  was  dug 
underground,  from  inside  the  Union  lines,  directly 
under  the  hill  ;  and   then  branches  or  galleries  were 


296  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

extended  in  several  directions,  the  intention  being  to 
blow  up  the  entire  hill.  Nearly  a  ton  of  powder  was 
placed  in  the  galleries  and  connected  by  fuses. 

When  all  was  ready,  a  cannonade  was  ordered  along 
the  whole  line,  and  then  the  mine  was  exploded.  Only 
a  portion  of  the  powder  ignited,  and  consequent^  all 
of  the  fort  was  not  blown  up.  A  great  many  timbers, 
rocks,  and  guns,  together  with  all  the  men  then  in 
that  part  of  the  fort,  were  blown  into  the  air,  accom- 
panied by  a  vast  cloud  of  smoke.  Most  of  the  men 
thus  blown  up  were  killed,  but  not  all.  Some  came 
down  only  slightly  hurt;  and  one  negro,  who  was 
working-  underground  at  that  time,  fell  within  our 
lines.  He  gathered  himself  up,  and  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  everybody  who  saw  him,  was  practically  un- 
hurt, but  terribly  frightened.  An  officer  asked  him, 
as  he  slowly  recovered  his  senses,  how  far  up  in 
the  air  he  went. 

"I  don'  know,  sab,*'  he  replied;  "but  I  tink  about 
free  miles." 

"  Do  you  want  to  go  back  to  Vicksburg  ?  " 

"No,  sali;  as  long's  I's  come  here  I  done  reckon 
I'll  stay.     De  Lord  hab  sent  me." 

And  he  staid. 


BLOWING    UP   A   FORT.  297 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Result  of  the  mine.  —  The  Lord  and  Joe  Johnston.  — A  flag  of  truce.  — 
Terms  of  surrender.  —  Vicksburg  in  Union  hands.  —Rudeness of  Gen- 
eral Pemberton.  —  Grant's  "Yankee  trick."  —  Surrender  of  Port 
Hudson.  —  Grant  ordered  to  Cairo.  —  Commanding  the  grand  military- 
division  of  the  Mississippi.  — Grantat  Chattanooga. — A  state  of  siege. 
—  Capture  of  Lookout  Valley.  —  Charge  of  the  mule  brigade. 

The  column  of  troops  was  ready  to  make  an  assault 
through  the  breach,  but  the  mass  of  debris  which  fell 
back  into  the  crater  formed  by  the  explosion  greatly 
impeded  their  progress.  The  Rebels  recoiled  for  a 
moment  when  the  explosion  took  place  ;  but  they 
quickly  rallied,  and  defeated  all  attempts  of  the  North- 
ern men  to  enter.  There  was  a  sharp  contest,  in  which 
the  ba3ronet  was  used  and  many  hand-to-hand  fights 
took  place.  Hand  grenades  were  thrown  over  on  both 
sides  until  the  supply  was  exhausted.  As  soon  as  it 
became  apparent  that  the  assault  would  not  be  suc- 
cessful, the  troops  that  made  it  were  withdrawn. 

One  day  a  Rebel  woman,  who  had  been  brought  into 
Grant's  presence,  sneeringly  asked  him  how  much 
longer  it  was  going  to  take  him  to  go  into  Vicksburg. 

"I  can't  say  exactly,"  lie  replied;  "but  I  shall  stay 
here  until  I  do,  if  it  takes  thirty  years." 


298  boys'   life  of  general  grant. 

Several  times  during  the  siege,  dispatches  between 
Pemberton  and  Johnston  were  captured;  they  showed 
that  Johnston  intended  to  attack  the  besieging  army, 
and  thus  relieve  Pemberton.  Johnston  was  known 
to  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  Jackson,  and  scouts  were 
kept  on  the  watch  to  ascertain  if  there  was  any  move- 
ment in  the  direction  of  the  besieged  city.  Grant 
had  received  large  reinforcements ;  and  though  he 
would  not  detach  any  of  his  troops  from  the  siege,  he 
ordered  a  strong  force  to  be  ready  to  march  against 
Johnston  in  case  he  made  an  offensive  movement. 
A  Rebel  officer  in  Vicksburg  wrote  to  his  wife  a  letter 
which  was  captured.  At  the  close  of  the  letter  he 
said,  "  We  put  our  faith  in  the  Lord,  and  exj)ect  Joe 
Johnston  to  come  to  our  relief."  In  sending  the 
order  to  one  of  his  commanders  to  be  ready  in  case 
of  Johnston's  advance,  Grant  added: — ■ 

"  They  seem  to  put  a  good  deal  of  faith  in  the  Lord 
and  Joe  Johnston,  but  you  must  whip  Joe  Johnston 
at  least  fifteen  miles  from  here  !  " 

As  the  end  of  June  came,  the  army  grew  weary  of 
the  siege ;  and  though  quite  confident  of  capturing 
Vicksburg,  the  soldiers  were  very  impatient.  Grant 
determined  to  make  another  assault  on  the  4th  of  July, 
but  he  was  prevented  from  doing  so  by  circumstances 
not  altogether  unforeseen. 

On   the   morning   of  the   3d   a   white    flag   appeared 


PROPOSALS   FOR   SURRENDER.  299 

at  one  part  of  the  Rebel  works.  Of  course  all  firing 
at  that  point  ceased  ;  and  the  Rebel  General  Bowen 
came  forward  to  the  Union  lines,  where  he  was  blind- 
folded and  taken  to  General  A.  J.  Smith,  who  com- 
manded at  that  point.  General  Bowen  asked  for  an 
interview  with  General  Grant,  but  his  request  was 
promptly  denied;  thereupon  he  presented  the  follow- 
ing letter : — 

Headquarters,  Vicksburg, 

July  3,  1863. 
Major-General  Grant, 

Commanding  United  States  Forces. 
General,  —  I  have  the  honor  to  propose  to  you  an  armis- 
tice of hours,  with  a  view  to  arranging  terms  for  the 

capitulation  of  Vicksburg.  To  this  end,  if  agreeable  to 
you,  I  will  appoint  three  commissioners  to  meet  a  like 
number  to  be  named  by  yourself,  at  such  place  and  hour  as 
you  may  find  convenient.  I  make  this  proposition  to  save 
the  further  effusion  of  blood,  which  must  otherwise  be 
shed  to  a  frightful  extent,  feeling  myself  fully  able  to 
maintain  my  position  for  a  yet  indefinite  period.  This 
communication  will  be  handed  to  you,  under  a  flag  of 
truce  by  Major-General  John  S.  Bowen. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

J.  C.  PEMBERTON, 

Lieut. -Gen. 

White  flags  appeared  all  along  the  line,  and  in  the 
constant  fusillade  and  bombardment  for  the  past  six 
weeks,  the  stillness  was  almost  oppressive. 


300  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

In  a  verbal  reply,  Grant  named  three  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  of  that  day  as  the  time  when  he  would 
meet  Pemberton.  At  -that  hour  Grant  and  several  of 
his  officers  rode  out  from  the  lines,  and  halted  under 
a  small  oak-tree.  A  few  minutes  later  General 
Pemberton  appeared,  accompanied  by  General  Bowen 
and  another  officer.  Grant  was  well  acquainted  with 
both  Pemberton  and  Bowen,  having  served  with  the 
former  in  Mexico,  and  lived  as  a  near  neighbor  to 
the  latter  in  St.  Louis.  He  shook  hands  with  both 
of  them,  and  Bowen  introduced  to  General  Pemberton 
the  Union  officers  that  accompanied  General  Grant. 
Pemberton  drew  himself  up  with  an  air  of  dignity, 
and  said :  — 

"  I've  come  to  see  if  we  can  arrange  terms  for  the 
surrender  of  Vicksburg.     What  is  your  demand?  " 

"  All  the  terms  I  have  I  stated  in  my  letter  of 
this  morning,"  replied  Grant. 

Pemberton  answered  with  even  more  haughtiness,  — 

"If  that  is  so,  the  conference  may  terminate  at 
once,  and  hostilities  be  resumed." 

"  Very  well,"  responded  Grant ;  "  my  army  has  never 
been  in  better  condition  to  prosecute  the  siege." 

Pemberton  turned  as  though  he  intended  to  be  as 
good  as  his  word ;  but  General  Bowen,  who  accom- 
panied him,  interposed,  and  suggested  that  the  matter 
be    discussed    further.      To   this    Grant   assented,   and 


TERMS    OF    CAPITULATION.  301 

then  he  and  Pemberton  stepped  aside  from  the  rest. 
Grant  was  calmly  smoking  a  cigar,  and  he  motioned 
to  Pemberton  to  sit  down  beside  him  on  the  ground. 
As  they  sat  there  talking,  Grant  remained  motionless, 
while  the  Confederate  leader  nervously  pulled  up  the 
thin  grass  around  him. 

They  talked  together  only  a  few  minutes ;  and  then 
Grant  called  up  McPherson  and  A.  J.  Smith,  while 
Pemberton  called  upon  Bowen  to  join  them.  Grant 
adhered,  though  not  with  an  air  of  absolute  firmness, 
to  his  terms  of  unconditional  surrender  ;  while  Pember- 
ton insisted  that  the  Union  commander  ought  to  be 
satisfied  with  the  place,  and  the  cannon,  ammunition, 
and  public  stores  which  it  contained.  He  reiterated 
that  he  had  abundant  provisions,  and  could  hold  out 
for  a  much  longer  period.  The  other  three  officers 
who  had  been  called  in  made  various  suggestions,  and 
in  less  than  half  an  hour  the  terms  of  surrender  were 
practically  settled.  Then  the  parties  separated,  Pem- 
berton going  back  to  Vicksburg,  and  Grant  returning 
to  his  headquarters  to  write  out  the  conditions. 

There  was  further  correspondence  between  Grant 
and  Pemberton,  and  two  or  three  hitches ;  but  before 
the  day  was  ended  the  whole  matter  was  completely 
arranged.  The  Rebel  soldiers  were  to  march  out  from 
Vicksburg,  pile  their  guns  and  flags  in  front  of  the 
Union  lines,  and  then  march  back  again  and  remain  in 


302  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

their  old  camps  until  they  were  paroled.  Officers 
were  permitted  to  retain  their  side-arms  and  personal 
baggage,  and  the  soldiers  were  allowed  all  their  cloth- 
ing, but  nothing  else. 

At  eight  o'clock  the  next  morning,  July  4,  Logan's 
division  marched  into  Vicksburg  and  took  possession. 
His  men  fraternized  at  once  with  the  Confederate  sol- 
diers, talking  to  them  in  a  most  friendly  way,  and 
in  numerous  cases  giving  the  hungry  Rebels  food  from 
their  haversacks.  All  through  the  town  there  were 
little  groups  of  the  Blue  and  the  Gray;  and  at  almost 
every  step,  while  walking  along  the  streets,  one  would 
encounter  pairs  of  soldiers,  Union  and  Confederate, 
chatting  and  strolling  together  as  though  they  had 
been  acquaintances  of  twenty  years.  The  Confed- 
erates frequently  assumed  the  position  of  hosts  or 
guides,  and  pointed  out  to  the  strangers  places  of 
interest  in  the  town. 

Grant  gave  orders  for  rations  to  be  issued  to  the 
Confederate  troops  when  asked  for  in  proper  form. 
Pemberton's  statement  that  he  had  an  abundance  of 
provisions  was,  to  say  the  least,  a  piece  of  boasting, 
as  the  garrison  had  been  in  a  condition  of  starvation 
for  several  days.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  appli- 
cations for  rations  came  very  quickly. 

There  was  loud  and  long-continued  cheering  through 
the  entire  length  of  the   Union  lines  when  the  knowl- 


FOES  TREATED  GENEROUSLY.  303 

edge  of  the  surrender  became  known.  General  Grant 
issued  orders  that  there  should  be  no  cheering  when 
the  Confederate  troops  marched  out  and  piled  their 
guns,  as  agreed,  in  front  of  the  Union  lines.  He  felt 
that  the  men  who  made  such  a  noble  defense  of  the 
fortifications  of  Vicksburg,  and  had  fought  for  the 
cause  which  they  considered  right,  should  not  be  humil- 
iated any  more  than  was  absolutely  necessary ;  and 
afterwards,  when  the  troops  had  been  paroled  and  were 
marched  through  the  Union  lines  in  the  direction  of 
Jackson,  he  repeated  the  order  at  all  points  where 
the  line  of  march,  had  been  laid  out.  To  his  dogged 
persistency  in  attacking  his  foe,  he  added  a  heartfelt 
generosity  to  that  same  foe  after  he  had  surrendered. 

As  soon  as  the  terms  of  surrender  were  settled  and 
the  agreement  signed,  Grant  sent  the  two  divisions  of 
his  army  which  comprised  the  Fifteenth  Corps  in  pur- 
suit of  Johnston,  who  was  known  to  be  about  half-way 
between  Vicksburg  and  Jackson.  Very  quickly  John- 
ston's army  was  broken,  scattered,  and  in  full  retreat. 
It  was  pursued  a  considerable  distance  beyond  Jackson, 
and  put  in  such  a  condition  that  it  was  of  little  use 
afterwards  as  an  army. 

After  Logan's  division  had  taken  possession  of 
Vicksburg,  Grant  rode  into  the  place,  accompanied 
by  his  staff  and  a  small  escort.  He  went  first  to  Gen- 
eral Pemberton's  headquarters  to  return  the  visit  of 


304  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

that  officer,  and  was  received  with  scant  courtesy. 
Pemberton  and  his  staff  were  sitting  on  the  veranda 
of  the  Rebel  headquarters,  and  not  one  of  them  rose 
to  greet  their  visitors,  or  asked  them  to  be  seated. 
General  Grant  was  thirsty,  and  asked  for  a  drink  of 
water;  General  Pemberton  merely  motioned  with  his 
hand  in  the  direction  of  the  rear  of  the  building,  where 
there  was  a  well.  Grant  followed  the  direction,  and 
found  the  well  surrounded  by  negroes,  who  were 
assuaging  their  thirst  with  the  water.  One  of  them 
went  into  the  house  and  brought  out  a  glass,  which  he 
filled  and  offered  to  Grant.  The  latter  thanked  him, 
and  accepted  the  proffered  drink. 

Grant's  officers  were  very  indigant  at  this  uncivil 
treatment  of  their  chief,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  say 
so.      Grant  laughed  and  said, — ■ 

"  I  guess  I  can  stand  it  if  Pemberton  can.  These 
fellows  have  no  occasion  to  feel  particularly  gracious 
towards   us." 

Returning  from  the  well,  Grant  remained  standing 
for  a  moment,  and  then  with  some  irony  in  his  tone 
thanked  General  Pemberton  for  his  hospitality,  and 
bade   him  good-day. 

All  of  Grant's  division  commanders  thought  the 
terms  very  lenient ;  and  the  opinion  was  prevalent  that 
the  Rebel  troops  should  have  been  taken  North  as  pris- 
oners of  war   instead  of  being  paroled,  but  they  after- 


GRANT'S    "YANKEE   TRICK."  305 

wards  admitted  that  their  leader  acted  far  more 
shrewdly  than  they  thought.  If  the  men  were  held 
as  prisoners  of  war,  and  there  were  thirty-one  thousand 
of  them,  it  would  have  cost  a  great  deal  of  money  to 
transport  them  up  the  Mississippi  River,  and  then  by 
railway  to  the  regular  point  of  exchange  on  the  James 
River  near  Richmond,  meantime  guarding  them  as 
prisoners  until  they  could  be  regularly  exchanged. 
Grant's  idea  was  that  most  of  them  were  tired  of 
fighting,  and  would  go  straight  to  their  homes  as  soon 
as   they  were    outside   our  lines. 

The  result  proved  the  correctness  of  his  reason- 
ing. Some  of  the  men  refused  to  be  paroled,  and 
were  sent  North  as  prisoners  of  war.  Others  gave 
their  paroles,  but  remained  within  the  Union  lines, 
refusing  to  march  out  with  their  comrades.  Pember- 
ton  begged  hard  for  a  sufficient  number  of  guns  to 
arm  a  guard  to  keep  the  discontented  ones  from 
straggling,  but  this  Grant  refused.  As  soon  as  the 
Rebel  column  was  outside  our  lines,  the  men  began  to 
straggle  in  every  direction ;  and  by  the  time  Pember- 
ton  was  fairly  on  Confederate  soil,  not  more  than  ten 
thousand  men  remained  of  the  thirty-one  thousand 
that  had  been  surrendered.  Pemberton  declared  that 
Grant's  performance  was  a  Yankee  trick,  and  when  all 
the  facts  are  considered  it  looks  very  much  that  way. 

The    Mississippi  was   now  open    from   Cairo    to   the 


806  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Gulf  of  Mexico  with  the  single  exception  of  Port 
Hudson,  which  was  then  besieged  by  General  Banks. 
Grant  immediately  wrote  to  Banks,  offering  him  all 
the  men  he  wanted  for  the  capture  of  the  stronghold. 
Banks  caused  a  copy  of  this  letter,  in  which  was 
the  announcement  of  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  General  Gardner,  who  then  com- 
manded at  Port  Hudson.  Gardner  immediately  wrote 
to  Banks,  saying  that  if  Vicksburg  had  really  surren- 
dered it  would  be  useless  for  him  to  hold  out  any 
longer.  Banks  replied  on  his  word  of  honor  that 
Vicksburg  had  really  fallen,  Avhereupon  Gardner  sur- 
rendered unconditionally  on  the  9th  of  July.  Thus 
was  the  Mississippi  River  open  to  Union  navigation 
throughout  its  whole  course.  "  The  Father  of  Waters 
flowed  unvexed  to  the  sea." 

News  of  the  surrender  of  A^icksburgr  caused  great 
rejoicing  throughout  the  entire  North,  and  especially 
so  as  it  came  almost  simultaneously  with  the  victory 
of  Gettysburg,  where  the  Rebellion  reached  its  high- 
water  mark,  and  the  tide  was  turned  back  never  to  rise 
again.  The  capture  of  Vicksburg  and  the  defeat  at 
Gettysburg  were  considered  by  many  people  as  prac- 
tically the  end  of  the  war,  but  it  was  not  so  with 
the  great  military  leaders  on  either  side.  The  South 
had  yet  many  men  in  the  field;  she  had  able  soldiers; 
and  whatever  views  may  be  entertained  of  the  right  or 


CAPTURE   OF   PORT   HUDSON.  307 

wrong  of  their  cause,  they  believed  in  it,  and  fought 
for  it  as  gallantly  as  did  those  who  fought  on  the 
other  side  to  maintain  the  Union.  Grant  realized 
that  there  was  still  a  great  deal  of  fighting  to  be 
done  before  the  war  would  come  to  an  end;  and  in 
the  same  dispatch  in  which  he  announced  officially  the 
fall  of  Vicksburg,  he  asked  for  orders  as  to  what  he 
should   do    next. 

After  the  fall  of  Port  Hudson,  General  Banks,  with 
the  greater  part  of  his  army,  returned  to  New  Or- 
leans ;  and  shortly  after  he  did  so,  General  Grant  went 
down  the  river  to  pay  him  a  visit.  Before  starting, 
he  asked  permission  to  capture  Mobile,  which  was  not 
strongly  defended ;  but  the  Government  had  other 
movements  in  contemplation,  and  took  away  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  Grant's  army  to  reinforce  General 
Banks.  Great  Britain  and  France  were  affording  aid 
and  comfort  to  the  Rebellion  by  their  conduct  in 
Mexico,  in  whose  national  affairs  they  had  intervened. 
It  had  been  determined  to  send  a  strong  force  to  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  occupy  the  left  bank  of  that  river 
opposite  Matamoras.  Grant's  forces  were  further 
weakened  to  reinforce  Rosecrans  in  Tennessee. 

A  day  or  two  after  Grant's  arrival  in  New  Orleans, 
General  Banks  held  a  review  of  his  troops  in  honor 
of  his  guest.  Knowing  that  Grant  was  a  fine  eques- 
trian, Banks   had   supplied  a  very  high-spirited    horse 


308  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

for  Grant's  use.  The  animal  was  restive,  and  it  was  with 
difficulty  Grant  could  control  him  during  the  review. 
On  their  return  to  the  city  the  horse  became  un- 
manageable, and  taking  fright  at  a  locomotive,  ran 
against  a  carriage,  and  fell  with  his  whole  weight  on 
Grant's  leg  and  hip.  He  was  picked  up  nearly  insen- 
sible, and  carried  on  a  stretcher  to  the  hotel  where 
he  was  stopping.  He  was  confined  to  his  bed  about 
twenty  days,  taking  his  confinement  philosophically, 
and  amusing  himself  with  one  of  the  funniest  Ameri- 
can books  ever  published,  u  Phenixiana."  He  remarked 
one  day  to  a  friend  that  he  was  illustrating  the  truth 
of  a  Chinese  proverb  which  is  thus  rendered  in  pidgin- 
English  :  — 

"  What  man  swim  best,  that  man  most  catcheee  drown  ; 
Who  lidee  best  make  mostee  tumble  down." 

As  soon  as  he  could  get  about  on  crutches,  Grant 
returned  to  Vicksburg,  where  lie  was  joined  by  his 
family.  There  was  very  little  activity  in  military 
movements  in  his  department  at  that  time,  and  he 
waited  with  some  impatience  for  orders  to  do  something. 

On  the  10th  of  October,  Grant  received  the  following 
dispatch   from   General    Halleck  :  — 

"  It  is  the  wish  of  the  Secretary  of  War  that,  as  soon  as 
General  Grant  is  able  to  take  the  field,  he  will  go  to  Cairo 
and  report  by  telegraph." 


GRANT    MEETS    STANTON.  309 

The  dispatch  was  received  about  noon,  and  before 
sunset  Grant  was  ascending  the  river  in  the  direction 
of  Cairo.  On  reaching  that  place  he  found  the  follow- 
ing order  waiting  for  him  :  — 

"  Proceed  by  way  of  Indianapolis  to  the  Gait  House, 
Louisville,  Ky.,  where  you  will  meet  an  officer  of  the 
War  Department  with  your  orders  and  instructions.  You 
will  take  with  you  your  staff  for  immediate  operations 
in  the  field." 

He  proceeded  Dy  the  first  train ;  and  on  reaching  In- 
dianapolis he  met  Hon.  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary 
of  War,  who  joined  him  on  the  train  and  accompanied 
him  to  Louisville.  It  was  the  first  time  that  these  men 
had  ever  met.  They  had  a  long  and  earnest  confer- 
ence, and  the  result  of  it  was  the  consolidation  of  three 
military  departments  into  one.  These  were  the  depart- 
ments of  the  Ohio,  commanded  by  General  Burnside, 
of  the  Tennessee  under  Grant,  and  of  the  Cumberland 
under  Rosecrans.  These  departments  were  made  into 
one,  which  was  called  the  Grand  Military  Division  of 
the  Mississippi  ;  and  the  command  of  this  extensive 
territory  was  given  to  General  Grant,  with  headquar- 
ters to  be  in  the  field,  wherever  he  chose  to  make 
them.  Grant  was  given  the  choice  of  continuing'  Rose- 
crans  in  his  command,  or  of  replacing  him  by  General 
Thomas.     Grant  had  been   dissatisfied  witli  Rosecrans 


310  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

for  various  reasons,  and  he  at  once  decided  to  make  a 
change  of  commanders. 

Rosecrans  was  then  holding  Chattanooga  under  great 
difficulties.  General  Bragg  had  cut  off  all  communica- 
tion with  the  Union  base  of  supplies,  except  a  very 
difficult  road  across  the  mountains.  The  army  was 
suffering  greatly  from  lack  of  provisions,  and  the  horses 
and  mules  were  starving  for  want  of  forage.  It  had 
been  feared  that  Rosecrans  would  abandon  Chattanooga 
and  fall  back,  and  certainly  he  would  not  have  been 
without  justification  had  lie  done  so.  After  Grant 
had  telegraphed  the  order  superseding  Rosecrans  by 
Thomas,  he   sent  another  dispatch  in  these  words  :  — 

"  Hold  Chattanooga  at  all  hazards.  I  will  be  there  as 
soon  as  possible.'' 

Thomas  immediately  replied,  — 

"  We  will  hold  the  town  until  we  starve  ! " 

Grant  was  still  on  crutches,  and  every  unusual  move- 
ment or  exertion  was  painful  to  him  ;  nevertheless,  he 
started  at  once  for  his  new  field  of  action.  From  Nash- 
ville, which  he  reached  at  midnight  on  the  20th  of 
October,  he  sent  dispatches  to  Thomas,  Burnside,  and 
Admiral  Porter,  ordering  them  to  prepare  for  move- 
ments which  he  had  already  planned  in  his  mind.  The 
next  day  he  continued  his  journey,  and  at  Stevenson 


ROAD   TO   CHATTANOOGA.  311 

met  General  Rosecrans,  whom  he  had  just  removed 
from  command.  Rosecrans  was  too  much  the  gentle- 
man and  soldier  to  manifest  any  feelings  of  chagrin, 
however  much  he  may  have  possessed  them.  He 
greeted  the  new  commander  in  the  old  familiar  way, 

with  the  words,  — 

* 

"  How  are  you,  Sam  ?  " 

From  Bridgeport  to  Chattanooga,  a  distance  of  sixty 
miles,  the  railway  was  obstructed  and  also  the  river ; 
and  it  was  necessary  for  Grant  and  his  party  to  travel 
by  wagon  or  horseback.  Grant  refused  an  ambulance, 
but  mounted  his  favorite  horse  ;  he  had  to  be  lifted 
into  and  out  of  the  saddle,  and  at  difficult  places  he 
was  carried  in  the  arms  of  soldiers.  This  ride  of  sixty 
miles  was  completed  in  a  single  day.  That  he  persisted 
in  going  through  in  spite  of  his  weakened  and  crippled 
condition  is  an  instance  of  the  bulldog  determination 
which  characterized  General  Grant  from  infancy  to  the 
end  of  his  life. 

The  road  over  the  mountains  was  strewn  with  broken 
wagons,  and  almost  lined  from  end  to  end  with  car- 
casses of  dead  mules,  that  were  said  to  number  fully 
ten  thousand.  The  road  was  a  very  poor  and  rough 
one  at  best,  and  the  thousands  of  wagons  that  had 
passed  over  it  since  it  became  the  only  line  of  com- 
munication had  rendered  it  worse  than  ever.  Towards 
the  end  of  the  day,  when  the  party  was  within  a  few 


312  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

miles  of  Chattanooga,  General  Grant's  horse  stumbled 
and  fell ;  but  it  was  a  less  severe  fall  than  the  one  at 
New  Orleans,  and  did  no  permanent  harm. 

Grant  and  his  staff  took  their  first  meals  with 
General  Thomas,  who  received  them  cordially,  though 
some  of  his  aids  felt  a  little  sore  because  a  superior 
had  been  placed  over  their  commander.  Provisions 
were  scarce ;  and  for  several  days  the  party  lived  on 
coffee,  hard  biscuits,  and  dried  vegetables,  with  a  few 
meals  of  salt  meat.  The  army  was  actually  in  a  state 
of  starvation.  Fresh  beef  was  very  scarce,  and  soldiers 
considered  themselves  lucky  when  they  could  secure 
an  ear  of  dried  corn.  So  great  was  the  scarcity  of  food 
that  the  soldiers  hung  around  the  place  where  the 
mules  were  kept,  and  sifted  and  washed  the  earth  to 
obtain  the  corn  which  the  animals  had  scattered  on  the 
ground  in  the  days  when  corn  was  plenty. 

Chattanooga  of  itself  is  a  place  of  no  great  impor- 
tance, but  at  that  time  it  was  of  immense  consequence 
when  regarded  from  a  strategic  point  of  view.  It  is 
the  junction  of  several  railways,  and  is  situated  close 
to  the  spot  where  Tennessee  joins  Georgia  and  Ala- 
bama. About  two  miles  east  of  the  town  is  Mission 
Ridge,  which  is  well  described  by  its  name.  It  is  a 
ridge  four  hundred  feet  high,  and  the  site  of  schools 
and  churches  established  a  long  time  ago  among  the 
Cherokee   Indians. 


MISSION    RIDGE    AND    LOOKOUT    MOUNTAIN.        313 

Lookout  Mountain,  about  two  thousand  feet  above 
sea  level  and  fourteen  hundred  above  the  Tennessee 
River,  is  about  three  miles  west  of  Chattanooga.  From 
it  one  can  look  into  no  fewer  than  six  States,  —  Ten- 
nessee, Georgia,  Alabama,  Kentucky,  Virginia,  and 
North  Carolina.  Thirty  miles  of  the  Tennessee  River 
can  also  be  seen,  and  for  quite  a  distance  the  stream 
flows  directly  at  the  mountain's  base. 

The  Union  army  had  strongly  fortified  itself  in 
Chattanooga.  The  place  was  almost  completely  in- 
vested by  Bragg's  army,  whose  lines  extended  from 
the  river  above  the  town  to  the  river  below  it.  It 
had  batteries  on  Mission  Ridge  and  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, and  they  were  dropping  shells  into  the  town  at 
irregular  intervals  during  botli  the  day  and  night.  The 
Northern  army  was  on  quarter-rations,  and  there  were 
three  thousand  sick  and  wounded  in  the  hospitals. 
The  common  necessaries  of  life  were  scarce ;  and  when 
the  wagon-trains  went  to  Bridgeport  they  frequently 
returned  empty,  as  the  heavy  guards  required  for  their 
protection  had  eaten  up  all  their  supplies,  while  the 
mules  had  destroyed  all  the  forage.  The  troops  were 
in  need  of  ammunition,  and  their  clothes  were  ragged ; 
but  they  kept  up  their  spirits  in  the  confident  belief 
that  they  would  be  relieved  some  day  or  other. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  Grant  arrived. 
Rosecrans  had  made  a  plan  to  break  the  blockade  by 


314  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

driving  Bragg  out  of  Lookout  Valley  on  the  west 
side  of  the  mountain.  He  was  about  to  execute  it 
when  he  was  superseded  by  Thomas,  who  immediately 
issued  orders  to  carry  it  out;  and  these  orders  Grant 
confirmed  immediately  on  his   arrival. 

Hooker's  army  corps  was  at  Bridgeport,  guarding 
the  river,  and  holding  itself  in  readiness  for  orders 
to  move.  A  little  after  midnight  on  the  morning  of 
the  26th  of  October,  Geary's  division  of  Hooker's  army 
crossed  over  silently  to  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and 
then  pushed  through  the  mountains  toward  Lookout 
Valley.  At  the  same  time,  pontoon-boats,  each  con- 
taining thirty  men  of  General  Smith's  command,  started 
from  Chattanooga,  and  floated  six  miles  down  the  river, 
quite  unobserved  by  the  Rebel  sentinels.  They  landed 
on  the  south  bank  at  the  mouth  of  Lookout  Valley, 
and  managed  to  capture  the  enemy's  pickets  before 
the  latter  could  make  any  outcry  or  give  any  signal 
of  trouble.  Before  morning  they  had  intrenched  them- 
selves and  brought  up  artillery,  and  when  the  day 
broke  they  were  in  a  strong  position.  With  the  pon- 
toons that  floated  them  down,  they  built  a  bridge 
across  the  river,  by  which  Grant  could  send  rein- 
forcements to  them  in  case  of  battle  quicker  than 
Bragg  could  reinforce  the  Confederate  troops  from 
Mission  Ridge. 

The    Rebels    began    to    strengthen    their    positions 


CHARGE   OF   THE   MULE   BRIGADE.  315 

when  they  saw  that  the  Union  forces  were  on  the 
offensive.  The  next  evening  the  camp-fires  of  Geary's 
division  were  visible  from  the  top  of  Lookout  Moun- 
tain. General  Longstreet,  who  held  the  mountain, 
immediately  perceived  that,  unless  the  movement  was 
stopped,  it'would  raise  the  siege  of  Chattanooga;  and 
he  sent  troops  to  drive  out  the  Union  forces  at  all 
hazards.  The  attack  was  made  about  midnight,  when 
it  was  so  dark  that  the  Union  forces  could  hardly 
distinguish  one  another  from  the  Rebels.  The  battle 
lasted  for  more  than  three  hours ;  the  losses  were 
not  very  large  on  either  side,  as  a  battle  in  the  dark- 
ness may  waste  an  immense  amount  of  ammunition 
and  do  very  little  harm. 

An  amusing  incident  ended  the  battle,  and  brought 
victory  to  the  Union  arms.  About  two  hundred 
mules  broke  loose  from  their  fastenings,  and  stam- 
peded in  the  direction  of  the  enemy.  The  thunder 
of  so  many  hoofs  coming  towards  them  caused  the 
Rebels  to  imagine  that  a  cavalry  charge  was  being 
made :  they  fled  in  terror  from  the  scene  of  action, 
and  did  not  learn  until  the  next  day  that  they  had 
been  thrown  into  a  panic  by  a  wild  stampede  of 
innocent  but  alarmed  mules. 

One  of  the  Union  officers  the  next  day  made  a 
record  of  the  occurrence  in  a  parody  on  Tennyson's 
"  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade."     He  called  it  '.'  The 


31G  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Charge  of   the  Mule    Brigade,"  and   the   following   is 
an  extract  from  it :  — 

"  Mules  to  the  right  of  them, 
Mules  to  the  left  of  them, 
Mules  in  front  of  them, 

Pawed,  brayed,  and  thundered. 
Breaking  their  own  confines, 
Breaking  through  Longstreet's  lines, 
Into  the  Georgia  troops, 

Stormed  the  two  hundred. 
Wild  all  their  eyes  did  glare, 
Whisked  all  their  tails  in  air, 
Scattering  the  "Chivalry"  there; 

All  the  world  wondered  !" 

Longstreet's  force  was  larger  than  the  Union  one. 
Its  movements  were  directed  by  signals  given  by 
torches  from  the  top  of  the  mountain,  in  full  view 
of  the  Union  commanders.  Our  officers  had  obtained 
the  Rebel  signal-code  a  few  days  beforehand,  and 
were  thus  able  to  read  all  of  Longstreet's  orders. 
By  this  bit  of  good  fortune  the  Union  commanders 
were  able  to  intercept  and  repulse  eveiy  attack.  Be- 
fore morning  Longstreet's  men  retreated,  and  the 
Union  forces  were  in  possession  of  the  river  all  the 
way  from  Bridgeport  to  Chattanooga. 

This  was  the  end  of  starvation  in  Chattanooga. 
Supplies  were  sent  up  by  steamer  and  by  the  river 
route,  and  the  siege  was   brought  to  an  end.     In  his 


GRANT   PRAISES   THOMAS.  317 

report  of  the  affair  General  Grant  gave  all  the  credit 
of  the  movement  to  his  subordinate,  in  the  following 
words  :  — 

"  General  Thomas's  plan  for  securing  the  river  and 
south-side  road  to  Bridgeport  has  proven  eminently 
successful.  The  question  of  supplies  may  now  be 
regarded  as  settled." 


318  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER   XXL 

Bragg's  mistake. — Grant  meets  a  party  of  rebel  soldiers. —  Bragg's 
notice  to  noncombatants.  — Attack  upon  Mission  Ridge.  —  Capture  of 
Lookout  Mountain.  — The  Battle  above  the  clouds.  — Great  battle  of 
Chattanooga.  —  How  the  Ridge  was  taken.  —  Bragg's  retreat.  —  Effect 
of  the  victory  in  the  North.  —  Grant  named  for  the  presidency.  — His 
ambition.  —  "  The  sidewalk.  "  —  Made  a  lieutenant-general.  — 
Ordered  to  "Washington. 

Shortly  after  this  occurrence  General  Bragg  com- 
mitted a  grave  military  mistake.  He  detached  Long- 
street's  corps,  together  with  Buckner's  division,  to 
make  an  expedition  to  destroy  General  Burnside,  who 
was  holding  East  Tennessee,  with  headquarters  at 
Knoxville.  He  had  twenty-five  thousand  soldiers 
in  his  command ;  and  General  Bragg  thought  it  a  good 
scheme  to  destroy  that  army,  and  regain  control  of 
that  part  of  the  State.  At  the  same  time  that  Bragg 
detached  Longstreet,  Grant  received  reinforcements 
from  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  and  immediately  pre- 
pared to  give  battle.  Pie  instructed  Thomas  to  attack 
Mission  Ridge  in  the  rear,  so  as  to  call  Longstreet 
back;  and  at  the  same  time  he  dispersed  his  troops 
in  such  a  way  as  to  make  an  attack  upon  Bragg's 
entire  line. 


A   REBEL   SCOUTING-PARTY.  319 

The  opposing  lines  were  so  near  each  other  that 
the  soldiers  frequently  talked  familiarly,  and  made 
exchanges  of  the  same  sort  as  they  had  done  at  Vicks- 
burg.  One  morning  as  Grant  was  riding  near  Chat- 
tanooga Creek,  a  small  stream  only  a  few  yards  wide, 
a  party  of  soldiers  in  blue  came  down  to  the  opposite 
bank  to  water  their  horses.  From  their  uniforms 
Grant  supposed  they  were  his  own  men,  and  asked,  — 

"What  corps  do  you  belong  to?" 

"  Longstreet's,  of  course." 

"What  are  you  doing  in  those  coats,  then?" 

"  Oh,  all  our  corps  wear  blue." 

Just  then  it  occurred  to  Grant  that  Longstreet's 
corps  was  dressed  in  blue,  but  he  had  forgotten  it 
at  the  moment.  The  Rebels  knew  he  was  a  Union 
officer,  but  were  quite  unaware  that  he  was  the 
commander-in-chief.  There  was  an  understanding 
between  the  pickets  that  they  would  not  fire  upon 
each  other  as  a  regular  pastime,  but  only  when  making 
a  hostile  movement ;  and,  consequently,  these  men 
refrained  from  using  their  rifles  on  that  occasion. 
Had  they  known  whom  they  confronted,  it  is  pretty 
certain  that  they  would  have  made  an  exception  in 
his  case. 

Heavy  rains  came  on,  and  the  attack  was  delayed. 
Grant  was  impatient  at  the  delay,  but  he  could  do 
nothing.  One  day  a  dispatch  came  from  Bragg, 
saying : — 


320  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"As  there  may  be  noncombatants  in  Chattanooga,  I 
deem  it  proper  to  notify  you  that  prudence  would  dic- 
tate their  early   withdrawal." 

Of  course  this  was  an  intimation  of  an  attack 
upon  the  Union  forces ;  but  if  a  pun  may  be  allowed, 
it  was  merely  a  case  of  brag,  as  there  was  no  likeli- 
hood that  the  Confederate  commander  would  make 
an  attack  at  that  time,  when  he  had  refrained  from 
doing  so  before  provisions  and  reinforcements  had 
arrived;  and  furthermore,  he  found  very  soon  that 
the  withdrawal  from  the  neighborhood  was  on  his 
own  part  rather  than  on  that  of  the  noncombatants 
in  the  town. 

Grant  endeavored  to  give  the  impression  to  Bragg 
that  the  main  attack  would  be  on  Lookout  Moun- 
tain. He  did  this  by  kindling  fictitious  camp-fires 
away  to  the  west  of  the  Union  line,  making  a  dis- 
play of  troops,  and  then  advancing  up  the  western 
slope  of  the  mountain.  All  the  troops  were  grad- 
ually brought  into  position ;  and  on  the  23d  of  No- 
vember everything  was  ready. 

The  battle  began  by  the  movement  of  Granger's 
corps  of  Thomas's  army,  which  was  pushed  forward 
towards  Mission  Ridge  in  such  perfect  order  that  the 
Rebel  pickets  thought  it  was  a  review,  and  stood 
leaning  upon  their  rifles  in  admiration.  As  the  line 
of    blue    came    up    to    them,    and    marched    directly 


ATTACK   ON   MISSION  RIDGE.  321 

towards  their  position,  they  realized  their  mistake, 
and,  after  the  customary  exchange  of  shots,  fell  back 
to  their  first  rifle-pits. 

Then  the  fighting  began  in  earnest ;  and  before 
night  the  Union  forces  had  advanced  two-thirds  of 
the  way  to  the  ridge,  driving  the  enemy  back 
slowly.  The  men  bivouacked  where  the  fighting 
ceased.  During  the  night,  a  strong  division  on  the 
left  crossed  the  river  on  pontoons,  and  built  a  bridge 
on  which  the  entire  Fifteenth  Corps  crossed  over; 
and  almost  before  the  Rebels  knew  they  had  crossed, 
the  troops  were  securely  posted  at  the  east  of  the 
ridge.  The  whole  extent  of  the  Union  lines,  from 
the  extreme  right  to  the  extreme  left,  was  six  miles, 
the  army  facing  to  the  southward.  Two  days  be- 
fore, when  Bragg  saw  Hooker's  division  moving  into 
position,   he  said, — 

"  They're  going  to  have  a  grand  Potomac  review." 

It  was  a  review,  but  of  a  kind  different  from  what 
he  had  expected  to  see. 

One  side  of  Lookout  Mountain  has  an  almost  per- 
pendicular front,  similar  to  the  palisades  of  the 
Hudson,  which  most  New  Yorkers  have  seen ;  while 
the  other  side  rises  in  a  gentle  slope.  At  the  bot- 
tom of  the  palisade,  there  is  a  succession  of  wide 
hills  which  slope  down  to  the  river.  Hooker  moved 
his  army  to  the   Rebel  front,  on   the  sloping   side   of 


322  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  mountain,  as  if  to  make  an  attack  there.  With 
large  columns  of  troops  maneuvering  over  the 
ground,  he  opened  fire  with  artillery,  as  though  he 
meant  business.  The  Rebels  laughed  at  his  folly  in 
making  his  attack  there;  and  most  of  the  Union  of- 
ficers and  soldiers  who  were  not  in  the  secret  were 
inclined  to  laugh  too. 

But  while  Hooker  was  making  this  demonstration 
in  front,  five  brigades  of  his  troops  were  making 
their  way  around  to  the  rear.  They  ascended  the 
mountain  as  far  as  the  palisades,  and  then  swept 
down  through  the  woods  in  a  wedge-shaped  column 
that  took  the  Rebels  by  surprise,  capturing  a  great 
number  of  them  and  putting  the  rest  to  flight. 

The  success  of  this  movement  showed  General 
Bragg  that  it  was  impossible  to  hold  Lookout  Moun- 
tain, and  so  he  ordered  a  retreat.  In  order  to  cover 
the  retreat,  he  attacked  Hooker  in  the  evening,  and 
kept  up  a  skirmish  for  several  hours.  The  mountain 
was  enveloped  in  fog,  to  which  was  added  the  smoke 
of  the  artillery  and  small  arms,  so  that  the  battle 
was  rendered  invisible  to  those  farther  down  the  val- 
ley. They  could  not  see  the  combatants  at  all ;  and 
except  when  the  wind  lifted  the  fog,  all  that  was 
perceptible   was  the  flashes  of  fire  from  the  guns. 

This  was  the  origin  of  the  somewhat,  though  not 
altogether,  imaginative  story  of  the  "  Battle  Above 
the   Clouds." 


HOOKER    AT    LOOKOUT   MOUNTAIN.  323 

When  the  news  reached  Grant  that  Hooker  had 
captured  Lookout  Mountain,  and  that  his  losses  were 
not  heavy,  Grant  remarked  that  Bragg  must  have 
surmised  his  plan  of  battle,  and  withdrawn  most  of 
his  troops  to  strengthen  his  right.  The  next  morn- 
ing, Nov.  25,  showed  that  Bragg 's  forces  were  all 
drawn  in  upon  Mission  Ridge.  Some  of  Hooker's 
men  climbed  up  to  the  top  of  Lookout  Mountain, 
and  placed  a  flag  there,  the  mountain  being  quite 
deserted,  as  Grant  believed  it  would  be.  Then 
Hooker  moved  down  the  east  side  of  Lookout, 
having  been  ordered  to  reach  Rossville  Gap  in 
Mission  Ridge,  four  miles  in  the  rear  of  Bragg's 
position.  The  rest  of  the  army  was  to  wait  until 
it  could  get  into  place  when  ordered. 

The  field  of  battle  was  visible  from  the  house- 
tops of  Chattanooga,  and  the  positions  of  the  greater 
part  of  the  Union  army.  Grant  was  on  the  summit 
of  a  little  hill  called  Orchard  Knoll,  which  com- 
manded a  magnificent  view  of  the  scene,  the  whole 
country  being  spread  out  before  him  like  a  map. 
Bragg's  headquarters  on  Mission  Ridge  were  dis- 
tinctly visible ;  and  the  two  hostile  commanders 
faced  each  other,  but  not  within  rifle-shot. 

The  fighting  was  severe  at  the  north  end  of  the 
ridge,  and  the  Union  forces  did  not  make  much 
progress.     No  word  was   heard  from  Hooker  away  on 


824  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  right,  as  he  was  delayed  to  build  bridges  over 
Chattanooga  Creek,  where  they  had  been  destroyed 
by  the  enemy.  Bragg  was  so  severely  pressed  at 
the  north  end  of  the  ridge  that  he  weakened  his 
center  to  strengthen  that  part  of  his  position.  Grant 
immediately  made  an  assault  upon  the  ridge,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  guns  of  Hooker  were  heard  away 
on  the  right.  The  order  was  given  to  advance,  and 
very  soon  the  entire  Union  line  was  in  motion.  So 
well  formed  were  the  columns,  that  the  Rebels  after- 
wards said  they  thought  it  was  nothing  but  a  review. 

The  columns  poured  in  through  the  timber,  pressed 
back  the  Rebel  skirmishers,  and  with  a  loud  cheer 
and  a  vigorous  rush  drove  them  back  to  their  rifle- 
pits  at  the  foot  of  the  ridge,  and  hoisted  their  flags 
upon  the  trenches. 

In  a  very  short  time  our  troops  had  full  possession 
of  the  first  line  of  trenches,  but  they  did  not  stay 
long ;  halting  briefly  to  take  breath,  they  pushed  on 
to  the  next  line,  under  a  heavy  fire  from  their  antag- 
onists. Many  a  man  fell,  but  his  fall  did  not  check 
the  advance.  On  and  on  the  blue  line  went,  on  and 
up  the  slope  of  Mission  Ridge,  the  flags  fluttering 
at  the  very  front  of  the  line  and  not  infrequently 
going  down.  Hardly  does  a  flag  fall  before  it  rises 
again.  The  hands  that  held  it  are  stilled  in  death, 
but   other   hands    have   seized    it   and   wave    it    aloft 


VICTORY   FOR   THE   UNION   ARMY.  325 

once  more.  The  flag  of  one  regiment  goes  down 
three  times,  and  three  dead  color-sergeants  mark  the 
spots  where  it  fell ;  but  it  is  not  allowed  to  stop, 
and  in  less  than  an  hour  from  the  time  it  left  the 
foot  of  the  ridge  it  is  waving  at  the  top. 

The  Rebels  resist  bravely  the  onslaught  of  the 
Northern  troops.  All  along  their  front  they  pour 
a  deadly  fire  of  musketry ;  and  they  light  the  fuses 
of  shells,  and  roll  them  down  the  slope  to  explode 
among  the  advancing  foe.  Huge  rocks  are  rolled 
down  that  they  may  crush  the  Northern  soldiers; 
and  at  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  where  the  enemy  is 
so  hard  pressed  that  the  men  have  no  time  to  load 
and  reload,  they  club  their  muskets  and  use  them 
in  this  way  as  weapons  of  defense.  Just  as  the 
sun  touches  the  horizon,  bathing  the  long  ridge  with 
its  yellow  light,  the  whole  crest  is  surmounted  by 
the  Northern  troops ;  their  flags  are  waving  in 
triumph,  and  a  loud  cheer  goes  up  from  the  entire 
length  of  the  National  army.  The  Rebels  are  in 
full  retreat,  and  the  battle  is  virtually  ended. 

But  the  capture  of  the  ridge  did  not  by  any 
means  end  the  conflict.  General  Sheridan,  without 
waiting  for  orders,  pushed  forward  and  continued  the 
pursuit  until  midnight,  capturing  great  numbers  of 
prisoners.  General  Sheridan  won  a  reputation  at  this 
battle   which  led  to  his  promotion,  and  gave  him  an 


326  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

opportunity  to  demonstrate  that  he  was  the  greatest 
cavalry  general  of  the  present  century. 

Bragg  withdrew  his  forces,  and  established  head- 
quarters at  Chickamauga  Station.  In  his  retreat  he 
abandoned  much  of  his  artillery,  and  destroyed  great 
quantities  of  provisions,  together  with  wagons,  pon- 
toons, and  caissons.  In  his  official  report  to  the  Con- 
federate Government  he  expressed  his  surprise  that  his 
lines  had  given  away,  as  the  strength  of  his  position 
was  such  that  he  had  no  doubt  that  he  would  be  able 
to  hold  it.  He  said  that  a  panic  seemed  to  have 
seized  upon  officers  and  men,  such  as  he  had  never 
before  witnessed. 

The  strength  of  Bragg's  army  at  the  battle  of  Mis- 
sion Ridge  was  about  forty-five  thousand,  while  the 
Union  forces  numbered  not  far  from  sixty  thousand ; 
but  the  Rebels  had  an  immense  advantage  in  their 
position;  and,  looking  at  the  matter  in  this  lapse  of 
time,  it  seems  a  wonder  that  the  Confederate  general 
was  not  able  to  repel  the  Union  attack.  The  old 
proverb,  "Nothing  succeeds  like  success,"  is  fully  ap- 
plicable to  the  victory  at  Mission  Ridge.  Grant  was 
victorious,  and  therefore  nobody  criticised ;  if  he  had 
failed,  he  would  have  been  subject  to  the  severest 
criticism  for  his  folly  in  ordering  a  charge  upon  a 
stronghold  so  admirably  situated  for  defense. 

His   plan    of    battle     was    elaborate     and    complete. 


A   NATIONAL   THANKSGIVING.  327 

Every  movement  was  carried  out  just  as  he  had 
planned  and  ordered ;  and,  furthermore,  it  would  almost 
seem  that  he  exercised  hypnotic  power  over  his  oppo- 
nent, as  General  Bragg  in  every  instance  did  exactly 
as  Grant  wished  and  expected  him  to  do.  The  Union 
general  was  admirably  supported  by  his  soldiers,  and 
the  result  shows  that  his  confidence  in  them  was  not 
misplaced.  They  had  the  courage  and  ability  to  exe- 
cute what  their  great  commander  planned  for  them 
to  do. 

When  President  Lincoln  learned  the  result  of 
Grant's  campaign  at  Chattanooga,  he  recommended  a 
national  thanksgiving,  and  telegraphed  personally  to 
General  Grant  his  profoundest  gratitude  for  the  skill, 
courage,  and  perseverance  with  which  he  and  his  men 
had  triumphed  over  the  great  difficulties  before  them. 
Even  the  cold-blooded  Halleck  said  that  the  battle  of 
Chattanooga  was  the  most  remarkable  battle  of  history. 
There  was  the  wildest  rejoicing  throughout  the  North, 
second  only  to  that  which  followed  the  victories  of 
Gettysburg  and  Vicksburg.  Every  Northern  heart 
beat  with  renewed  vigor  at  the  realization  that  another 
great  step  had  been  accomplished  toward  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  Great  Rebellion. 

Bragg's  army  retreated  into  Georgia,  following  the 
line  of  railway  in  the  direction  of  Atlanta.  A  part  of 
Grant's  army  was  ordered  to  Knoxville  to  strengthen 


828  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Burnside,  and  the  remainder  remained  in  its  position 
at  Chattanooga  while  waiting  for  orders  to  move. 

Shortly  after  his  triumph  at  Vicksburg,  Grant's 
name  was  frequently  mentioned  by  politicians  as  the 
next  candidate  of  the  Republican  party  for  the  Presi- 
dency, but  to  all  suggestions  of  that  sort  Grant  re- 
turned an  absolute  negative.  He  said  he  was  in  the 
field  to  fight,  and  was  not  in  politics.  Until  the  Re- 
bellion was  ended,  and  the  last  Rebel  had  thrown  down 
his  musket,  he  would  adhere  to  army  life  and  think  of 
nothing  else. 

His  triumph  at  Chattanooga  renewed  the  subject  of 
the  Presidency,  though  the  politicians  received  no  en- 
couragement. To  a  group  of  them  who  visited  him  at 
his  headquarters  at  Nashville,  he  said :  — 

"  There  is  only  one  office  I  ever  aspired  to  in  my 
life.  I  should  like  to  be  mayor  of  Galena,  so  that  I 
could  order  a  new  sidewalk  from  my  house  to  the 
railway  depot." 

When  he  went  to  Galena,  after  the  war,  he  was  re- 
ceived by  a  grand  outpouring  of  citizens.  Several 
triumphal  arches  were  erected  along  the  streets 
through  which  he  was  to  pass ;  and  on  one  of  them 
was  the  announcement  in  huge  letters,  which  he  could 
easily  read  from  the  carriage  in  which  he  wa8 
riding,  — 

"  General,  the  sidewalk  is  built !  " 


GRANT   NAMED   FOR   THE   PRESIDENCY.  329 

When  it  became  known  throughout  the  country 
that  General  Grant  would  not  consider  the  question 
of  the  Presidency  under  any  circumstances,  the  sub- 
ject was  dropped ;  but  the  people  were  determined  that 
he  should  know  their  views  concerning  him.  The 
legislatures  of  several  States  gave  him  enthusiastic 
votes  of  thanks.  Congress  caused  a  gold  medal  to  be 
struck ;  and  he  received  gifts  without  number  from 
cities,  corporations,  and  individuals.  The  gift  which 
seemed  to  please  him  most  was  a  cigar-case  whittled 
out  by  one  of  his  soldiers  from  a  bullet-scarred  tree  on 
Lookout  Mountain. 

One  day  he  received  a  telegram  that  his  son  Fred 
was  seriously  ill  in  St.  Louis ;  and  he  telegraphed  to 
Washington  for  a  leave  of  absence,  which  was  imme- 
diately granted.  He  started  at  once  for  his  son's 
bedside,  but  happily  found  him  out  of  danger  when 
he  arrived  there.  He  remained  a  few  days  in  his  old 
home,  and  while  he  was  there  the  leading  citizens  and 
others  tendered  him  a  dinner  at  the  principal  hotel. 
Speeches  were  made  in  his  honor,  the  band  played 
"  Hail  to  the  Chief,"  and  there  were  loud  calls  for  a 
speech.  Grant  rose,  and  the  audience  became  silent 
instantly.  His  speech  was  brief,  as  it  consisted  only 
of  the  words  :  — 

"  Gentlemen,  it  will  be  impossible  to  do  more  than 
thank  you." 


330  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

After  the  dinner  there  was  a  serenade,  and  the  street 
in  front  of  the  hotel  was  brilliantly  illuminated.  Grant 
went  to  the  balcony  very  reluctantly.  In  response  to 
loud  and  repeated  calls  from  the  crowd,  he  bowed  his 
acknowledgments,  and  was  about  to  retreat,  when  loud 
calls  were  made  of  "  Speech !  Speech !  "  This  went 
on  for  some  minutes  ;  and  finally  the  general  took  his 
cigar  from  his  mouth,  and  said :  — 

"  Gentlemen,  making  speeches  is  not  my  business. 
I  never  did  it  in  my  life,  and  I  never  will !  I  thank 
you,  however,  for  your  attendance  here." 

General  Grant  returned  from  St.  Louis  to  his  head- 
quarters at  Nashville  ;  and,  soon  after  his  arrival  there, 
Congress  passed  a  bill  reviving  the  degree  of  Lieuten- 
ant-General,  which  was  originally  created  for  General 
Washington  in  1798,  and  was  discontinued  at  his 
death.  It  was  conferred  by  brevet  on  General  Scott 
after  the  Mexican  War,  and  Washington  and  Scott 
were  the  only  ones  who  ever  held  the  title.  The 
President  speedily  conferred  the  title  upon  Grant,  and 
he  was  summoned  to  Washington  to  report  in  person 
at  the  War  Department. 

Accompanied  by  two  officers  of  his  staff,  he  started 
for  Washington,  reaching  that  city  late  in  the  after- 
noon of  March  8,  1864.  He  made  a  hasty  toilet,  and 
then  entered  the  great  dining-room  at  Willard's  Hotel, 
and  sat  down  to   dinner.     The  news  of  his  presence 


GRANT   IN    WASHINGTON.  331 

quickly  spread  among  the  people  in  the  dining-room ; 
and  suddenly  one  of  the  party,  a  member  of  Congress 
from  Pennsylvania,  rose  to  his  feet,  and  said :  — 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  the  hero  of  Donelson,  of 
Vicksburg,  and  of  Chattanooga  is  among  us !  I  pro- 
pose the  health  of  Lieutenant-General  Grant !  " 

Cheers  upon  cheers  were  enthusiastically  given. 
Handkerchiefs  were  waved  in  the  air,  and  the  men 
and  women  crowded  around  the  general  to  tender 
their  congratulations.  He  could  not  eat  his  dinner 
in  comfort;  and  finally  retired,  blushing,  from  the 
hall,  ordered  a  beefsteak  and  a  pot  of  tea  sent  to  his 
room,  and  finished  his  repast  hy  himself. 

In  the  evening  he  went  to  the  President's  reception, 
where  for  the  first  time  he  and  Mr.  Lincoln  met.  As 
they  shook  hands,  they  looked  at  each  other  very 
closely,  and  had  a  brief  conversation.  It  was  neces- 
sarily very  brief,  owing  to  the  crowd  of  visitors  that 
was  pouring  in  for  introduction  to  the  President. 

The  next  day  Grant  was  formally  presented  to  Mr. 
Lincoln,  accompanied  by  Rawlins  and  Comstock  of 
his  staff,  and  his  son  Fred.  Several  officers  of  the 
President's  cabinet  were  present ;  and  after  Mr.  Lincoln 
had  greeted  the  general,  and  introduced  him  to  the 
bystanders,  he  read  the  following  address  :  — 

"  General  Grant,  —  The  nation's  appreciation  of  what 
you  have  done,  and  its  reliance  upon  you  for  what  remains 


332  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

to  be  done,  in  the  existing  great  struggle,  are  now  pre- 
sented with  this  commission,  constituting  you  lieutenant- 
general  in  the  army  of  the  United  States.  With  this 
high  honor  devolves  upon  you  also  a  corresponding  respon- 
sibility. As  the  country  herein  trusts  you,  so,  under  God, 
it  will  sustain  you.  I  scarcely  need  to  add  that  with  what 
I  here  speak  for  the  nation  goes  my  own  hearty  per- 
sonal concurrence." 

Grant  had  been  informed  of  the  character  of  the 
President's  note,  and  had  brought  with  him  his  own 
reply,  which  he  had  written  in  the  hotel  the  evening 
before.     It  was  as  follows  :  — 

"Mr.  President,  — I  accept  the  commission  with  gratitude 
for  the  high  honor  conferred.  With  the  aid  of  the  noble 
armies  that  have  fought  on  so  many  fields  for  our  common 
country,  it  will  be  my  earnest  endeavor  not  to  disappoint 
your  expectations.  I  feel  the  full  weight  of  the  responsi- 
bilities now  devolving  upon  me  ;  and  I  know  that  if  they 
are  met,  it  will  be  due  to  those  armies,  and,  above  all,  to 
the  favor  of  that  Providence  which  leads  both  nations 
and  men." 

The  interview  with  the  President  lasted  less  than 
half  an  hour,  as  both  were  very  busy,  and  time  was 
precious.  Immediately  after  leaving  the  President, 
Grant  went  to  visit  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  was 
heartily  welcomed  by  General  Meade,  its  then  com- 
mander, who  was   quite  willing   to   be   relieved  from 


GRANT   VISITS   GENERAL   MEADE.  333 

responsibility.  Very  quickly  the  corps  and  division 
commanders  called  to  pay  their  respects.  A  few  of 
them  he  had  known  before,  but  the  greater  part  he 
had  never  seen  until  that  time. 

It  had  been  General  Grant's  intention,  before  going 
East,  to  bring  with  him  two  of  his  most  trusted  gen- 
erals from  the  Military  Division  of  the  Mississippi ; 
but  he  now  found  that  such  a  transfer  would  excite 
ill  feeling,  as  there  was  already  a  jealousy  existing  on 
the  part  of  the  East  towards  the  West.  The  Western 
army  had  gained  numerous  victories,  from  Donelson  to 
Chattanooga,  while  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was 
almost  as  far  away  from  Richmond  as  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war.  Grant  found  that  General  Meade 
had  a  great  deal  of  popularity  with  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac ;  and  so  he  decided  to  retain  him  in  command, 
and  take  for  himself  the  general  charge  of  the 
whole. 

This  was  undoubtedly  a  very  politic  step  for  Grant 
to  take  in  the  army  where  so  many  jealousies  abounded. 
In  speaking  of  the  subject  one  day,  he  said  that  if 
he  had  taken  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
two  years  before  he  would  have  undoubtedly  failed ; 
but  now  he  felt  entire  confidence  in  himself,  having 
served  through  all  the  ranks  of  colonel,  brigadier-gen- 
eral, and  major-general,  and  had  so  much  experience 
in  the  field.     He  thought  that  McClellan's  misfortune 


334  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

was  that  he  was  put  in  command  of  that  great  army 
with  practically  no  experience  whatever. 

Before  assuming  active  command  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  it  was  necessary  for  General  Grant  to 
go  West,  and  close  up  the  affairs  of  his  military  de- 
partment there.  On  the  11th  of  March  he  had  an 
interview  with  the  President  and  the  secretary  of 
war,  and  just  as  he  was  about  to  leave  he  received 
an  invitation  from  Mrs.  Lincoln  for  a  military  din- 
ner at  the  White  House.  The  letter  reached  him 
when  he  was  making  a  call  upon  the  President,  and 
Mrs.  Lincoln  said  in  her  note  of  invitation  that  twelve 
other  prominent  generals  would  be  there  to  meet  him. 
The  dinner  was  to  be  given  in  General  Grant's  honor ; 
but  he  begged  to  be  excused,  as  he  must  return  imme- 
diately to  Nashville. 

President  Lincoln  replied  that  he  could  not  ex- 
cuse him,  as  it  would  be  Hamlet  with  the  prince  left 
out. 

Grant  answered  that  he  fully  appreciated  the  honor 
which  Mrs.  Lincoln  would  show  him,  but  added  that 
time  was  precious,  and  the  affairs  of  the  country  de- 
manded his  first  attention;  then  with  some  stammer- 
ing and  hesitation  he  concluded  by  saying :  — 

"  Really,  Mr.  Lincoln,  I've  had  enough  of  this 
show  business." 

The    dinner    came    off,    but   Grant   was   not   there. 


"  on  to  lee's  army  !  "  335 

When  the  party  sat  down  at  the  table  he  was  many 
miles  away  on  his  trip  to  Cincinnati.  He  reached 
that  city  one  Sunday  morning,  spent  a  day  with  his 
father  and  mother,  and  then  continued  his  journey  to 
Nashville,  his  headquarters.  After  finishing  his  af- 
fairs at  Nashville,  he  returned  again  to  Washington, 
spending  a  part  of  another  day  at  his  father's  house. 
Several  visitors  called  to  see  him ;  and  one  of  them 
said,  — 

"  I  suppose  it's  '  On  to  Richmond  '  now  ?  " 
"  No,"  replied  Grant ;  "  it's  '  On  to  Lee's  army !  '  " 
Another  then  asked,  — 

"How  do  you  propose  to  do  it,   General?" 
Grant  said  nothing,  but  gave  an  extra  puff   to   hi» 
cigar,  and  changed  the  subject  to  something  else. 


336  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

On  duty  at  Washington.  —  His  staff.  —  General  plan  of  campaign.  — 
State  of  affairs  at  the  time.  —  Army  of  the  Potomac.  —  Its  condition 
and  morals.  —Lee's  position.  —  Preparing  for  the  offensive.  — Begin- 
ning the  movement.  —  Crossing  the  Rapidan.  —  Encountering  Lee's 
army.—  Hard  fighting  in  The  Wilderness.  —  Six  days  of  battles.  —  A 
wily  foe.  —  "  Shall  fight  it  out  on  this  line  if  it  takes  all  summer." 

Grant  reached  Washington  on  the  23d  of  March, 
1864,  and  assumed  active  direction  of  the  army.  He 
was  accompanied  by  his  staff-officers  Rawlins,  Bowers, 
Duff,  Rowley,  Leet,  Parker,  Badeau,  Hudson,  and 
Dunn.  A  day  or  two  after  his  arrival  he  was  joined 
by  his  newly  appointed  aids,  Porter,  Babcock,  and 
Dent. 

It  had  long  been  his  theory,  and  he  was  not  alone 
in  his  belief,  that  the  movements  against  the  enemy 
should  be  simultaneous  along  the  entire  line,  from 
the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  the  Mississippi  River  and  be- 
yond it.  The  reader  will  remember  that  this  plan 
had  already  been  acted  upon  two  years  earlier,  when 
simultaneous  movements  were  made  in  Missouri,  Ten- 
nessee, at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  and  at  sev- 
eral points  in  the  East.  Grant's  scheme  was  simpl}r 
an    elaboration   of   the  old  one,  and  included  perfect 


GRANT   AND   MCCLELLAN.  337 

co-operation  of  time  and  purpose  between  our  armies, 
so  that  the  enemy,  assailed  everywhere,  could  not 
weaken  one  point  to  strengthen  another.  Now  that 
he  was  in  chief  command,  he  made  his  plans  with 
great  care,  and  issued,  orders  accordingly. 

The  day  after  his  arrival  he  began  the  re-organ- 
ization of  the  army  for  the  campaign  of  the  summer 
of  1864.  He  had  able  officers  under  him ;  and  after 
his  first  inspection  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  he 
said  he  felt  entirely  confident  that  it  would  secure 
the  results  desired  of  it. 

There  was  still  a  good  deal  of  soreness  remain- 
ing in  the  army  over  the  removal  of  McClellan. 
The  soldiers  had  idolized  him,  and  so  did  most  of 
the  officers ;  and  there  was  a  deep  feeling  among 
them  in  favor  of  his  return.  There  was  also  a  feel- 
ing of  jealousy  that  a  Western  commander  had  been 
appointed  over  Eastern  troops.  General  Grant  en- 
deavored in  a  very  judicious  way  to  quiet  all  this 
unpleasant  rancor ;  and  whenever  he  had  occasion  to 
mention  General  McClellan,  he  did  so  in  the  kindest 
manner,  and  always  with  an  expression  of  admi- 
ration for  the  man.  He  said  that  the  Confederates 
had  recognized  the  importance  of  defending  their  cap- 
ital at  all  hazards,  and  had  surrounded  it  with  their 
best  troops,  under  their  best  generals.  He  said  one 
day,— 


338  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

"The  Army  of  the  Potomac  is  a  very  fine  one, 
and  has  shown  the '  highest  courage ;  still,  I  think 
it  has  never  fought  its  battles  through." 

Shortly  after  assuming  command,  General  Grant 
sent  for  his  family  to  come  to  Washington.  Soon 
after  their  arrival  a  party  of  ladies  asked  Mrs.  Grant 
her  opinion  of  her  husband's  new  responsibilities. 

She  replied  that  he  had  succeeded  thus  far  where- 
ever  the  Government  had  placed  him,  and  she  believed 
he  would  do  the  best  he  could. 

Then  one  asked  if  she  believed  he  would  capture 
Richmond. 

"Yes,  I'm  sure  he  will  before  he  gets  through," 
she  replied.  "Mr.  Grant  was  always  a  very  obstinate 
man." 

She  almost  always  spoke  of  the  general  as  "Mr. 
Grant,"  very  rarely  alluding  to  him  by  his  official 
title. 

The  necessity  for  the  success  of  the  Northern 
armies  was  very  great.  Repeated  failures  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  to  accomplish  anything  had 
wearied  the  public,  so  that  a  sentiment  for  peace  at 
any  price  was  rapidly  growing.  A  member  of  Con- 
gress from  Ohio  made  a  speech  in  the  House  of 
Representatives  advocating  the  recognition  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy.  A  motion  was  made  for  his 
expulsion ;  but  it  did  not  receive  the  necessary  two- 


PEACE  SENTIMENT.  339 

thirds  vote,  and  therefore  he  retained  his  place.  Sev- 
eral other  members  of  Congress  openly  defended  him 
and  his  speech,  and  one  of  them  announced  himself 
in  favor  of  peace  by  the  recognition  of  the  Con- 
federacy. It  must  not  be  understood  that  the  war 
sentiment  was  in  the  minority,  but  only  that  the 
peace  sentiment  was  rapidly  growing  more  bold  and 
outspoken.  Five  of  the  Western  States  —  Ohio,  Illi- 
nois, Iowa,  Wisconsin,  and  Indiana  —  voluntarily  made 
an  enlistment  of  ninety  thousand  men  for  garrison  duty 
at  home,  thus  enabling  all  the  veterans  to  go  to  the 
front.  Other  States  followed  their  example,  but  not 
to  so  great  an  extent ;  and  altogether  they  caused 
a  material  increase  to  be  made  to  the  fighting'  force. 

One  day  while  Grant  was  calling  on  the  Presi- 
dent, the  latter  asked  what  the  prospects  were.  Grant 
began  to  tell  his  plans  to  the  President ;  but  the  latter 
motioned  him  to  stop,  and  said,  — 

"Don't  tell  me  anything  about  your  plans;  I  don't 
want  to  know  what  they  are.  Everybody  will  be 
asking  me,  and  I  want  to  be  able  to  say  truthfully 
that  I  don't  know  what  they  are.  If  you  are  sat- 
isfied with  them,  I  am,  and  believe  they  will  turn 
out  all  right.  I  only  want  to  know  what  your  opin- 
ion is  of  the  prospects." 

Grant  answered  that  he  thought  they  were  good. 
He    said   that   his  two  chief  objects  were  to  keep  the 


340  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

troops  active,  and  concentrate  his  supplies  close  to 
the  front  so  that  there  would  be  no  necessity  of 
guarding  long  lines  of  communications. 

It  took  several  weeks  to  get  the  army  into  con- 
dition to  take  the  offensive,  and  to  take  it,  as  Grant 
had  planned,  simultaneously.  The  heaviest  blow  was 
that  against  Lee,  who  thus  far  had  repelled  every 
attack  made  upon  him. 

The  two  armies  had  not  been  in  conflict  for  three- 
quarters  of  a  year.  They  were  lying  only  a  few 
miles  apart,  —  Lee  at  Orange  Court  House,  and  Grant 
at  Culpeper  Court  House.  Lee  was  perfectly  fa- 
miliar with  every  inch  of  the  ground  he  was  defend- 
ing, as  he  had  lived  in  that  vicinity,  and  had  defeated 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  two  campaigns.  His 
army  had  great  confidence  in  itself  and  in  its  leader. 
Moreover,  the  Confederate  army  had  the  habit  of 
victory,  while  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  the 
habit  of  defeat.  It  had  become  a  matter  of  course 
that  when  the  Union  army  in  Virginia  marched  out 
to  meet  the  enemy,  it  would  march  back  again  in 
more  or  less  disorder.  Grant's  army  was  greater  than 
Lee's,  but  under  the  circumstances  it  can  readily 
be  seen  that  it  would  be  less  efficient  until  its 
habit  of  defeat  was  broken  up. 

For  some  reasons  Grant  would  have  preferred  ap- 
proaching   Richmond    by   way   of   the    James    River 


POSITIONS   OF   THE  TWO   ARMIES.  341 

rather  than  by  the  direct  route  from  Culpeper 
Court  House.  The  land  route  would  have  been 
shorter,  and  facilities  for  obtaining  supplies  easier; 
but  the  disadvantage  was  that  the  James  River  route, 
if  taken  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  would  leave 
Washington  uncovered  to  the  enemy ;  and  as  Lee 
was  fighting  on  interior  lines  and  Grant  on  exterior 
ones,  the  former  could  make  a  dash  upon  Washing- 
ton, and  capture  it  before  Grant  could  reach  it. 
Furthermore,  even  if  Lee's  army  did  not  attack  or 
threaten  Washington,  the  movement  of  the  army  from 
Culpeper  back  to  the  Potomac,  to  embark  for  the 
James,  would  be  in  the  nature  of  a  retreat,  and  have 
the  effect  to  dishearten  the  men. 

The  distance  from  Culpeper  Court  House  to  Rich- 
mond is  about  seventy  miles.  The  country  along 
the  route  was  heavily  timbered,  and  cut  up  by  many 
streams  running  at  right  angles  to  the  army's  line 
of  movement.  These  streams,  though  not  very  wide, 
were  nearly  all  too  deep  to  be  forded  by  an  army, 
and  consequently  could  be  easily  held  by  the  enemy 
against  a  largely  superior  force.  Furthermore,  what- 
ever advance  was  made  into  this  region  would  render 
more  difficult  the  supplying  of  the  Union  army,  and 
at  the  same  time  make  it  easier  to  supply  the  Rebel 
one. 

The   movement   began   on  the    evening   of    May  3, 


342  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

when  Meade  issued  orders  to  send  forward  the  pon- 
toon trains  to  lay  bridges  at  Ely's  Ford  and  Ger- 
mania  Ford.  Tents  were  struck  soon  after  dark,  and 
by  midnight  the  army  was  in  motion.  So  quietly 
did  they  move  away,  that  the  citizens  of  the  town 
were  not  aware  until  they  awoke  in  the  morning 
that  the  army  was  gone.  Grant  and  his  staff  spent 
the  night  at  his  headquarters  in  Culpeper,  and  break- 
fasted there.  After  breakfast  they  galloped  away,  and 
overtook  the  army  at  the  Rapidan  River,  where  the 
troops  were  crossing  swiftly  over  the  pontoon  bridges 
already  mentioned.  Before  night  the  entire  army 
was  south  of  the  river,  and  camped  on  the  blood- 
drenched  field  of  Chancellors ville.  Grant  had  ex- 
pected that  the  enemy  would  oppose  his  passage  of 
the  river,  and  was  greatly  pleased  when  the  whole 
army,  with  its  enormous  supply-train  of  four  thou- 
sand wagons,  was  safely  over  the  stream. 

The  three  corps  which  formed  the  army  of  the  Poto- 
mac were  commanded  by  Generals  Sedgwick,  Hancock, 
and  Warren ;  and  to  these  were  added  Burnside's  Ninth 
Corps,  which  had  been  brought  from  Annapolis  to  take 
part  in  the  movement.  Sheridan,  the  only  general 
whom  Grant  brought  from  the  West,  commanded  all 
the  cavalry.  Grant's  plan  was  to  throw  his  army 
between  Richmond  and  Lee's  army ;  and  then,  if  he 
could  crush  Lee  in  a  single  battle,  Richmond  would 


THE   WILDERNESS.  343 

be  open  to  him.  He  said  in  a  later  report  that  it 
was  his  intention  to  fight  Lee  between  Culpeper  and 
Richmond  if  he  would  stand. 

If  Grant  had  any  doubt  that  Lee  would  stand,  it 
was  speedily  dispelled.  He  not  only  stood,  but  as 
soon  as  he  heard  of  Grant's  advance  he  pushed  for- 
ward to  meet  him.  He  received  notice  early  on  the 
morning  of  May  4  (Wednesday)  that  the  Union  army 
was  in  motion,  and  immediately  started  his  own  army 
to  strike  Grant's  column  at  a  right  angle  to  its  line 
of  march. 

The  region  south  of  the  Rapidan  is  known  as  The 
Wilderness.  It  is  a  worn-out  and  deserted  region, 
containing  many  old  tobacco-fields,  and  covered  to  a 
great  extent  with  low,  scrubby  trees,  and  with  more  or 
less  underbrush.  There  is  much  more  wooded  than 
open  ground  in  it.  It  is  a  bad  place  to  maneuver 
an  army  in,  and  Grant  did  not  wish  to  fight  there  if 
he  could  avoid  it.  But  Lee  gave  him  no  option  in  this 
matter. 

By  sunset  on  Wednesday,  Lee  had  moved  up  very 
close  to  the  position  of  the  Union  army.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  May  6,  Lee  made  his  attack,  coming 
first  in  contact  with  Warren's  corps.  Before  eight 
o'clock  the  battle  was  well  underway,  and  the  fighting 
was  vigorous  nearly  all  the  time  until  sunset.  It  was 
impossible  to  use  artillery  to  advantage,  and  the  greater 


344  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

part  of  the  fighting  was  done  by  infantry.  The  thick- 
ness of  the  forest  made  it  necessary  to  move  the  troops 
by  compass  in  many  instances,  and  every  advance  was 
a  step  into  an  ambuscade.  Sometimes  the  Rebels  at- 
tacked, but  in  most  cases  the  Union  troops  did  so. 
Whoever  made  the  advance  was  at  a  great  disadvan- 
tage, as  the  enemy  was  concealed  behind  and  among 
trees,  and  reserved  his  fire  until  at  very  close  range. 
Many  of  the  bullets  were  warded  off  by  the  trees ;  but 
many  others  found  their  billets,  and  the  ground  was 
thickly  covered  with  dead  and  wounded. 

An  hour  or  so  past  noon  the  entire  army  was  en- 
gaged. A  report  came  to  General  Grant,  that  Han- 
cock had  been  repulsed,  and  the  whole  left  wing  of  the 
army  had  given  way.  Grant  was  in  conversation  with 
Meade  at  the  time,  and  was  whittling  at  the  root  of 
a  tree  under  which  he  was  seated. 

When  he  heard  the  report  about  Hancock,  he  gave 
a  vigorous  stab  with  his  knife  into  the  root  and  re- 
plied, — 

"  I  don't  believe  it.  It  can't  be  true.  There's  some 
mistake  about  it." 

Wishing  to  see  for  himself,  he  called  for  his  horse, 
mounted,  and  rode  away,  accompanied  by  General 
Meade.  He  found  that  the  report  about  General  Han- 
cock was  untrue,  as  he  had  said.  Neither  side  was 
gaining   much  "upon  the  other,  and  the  battle   at  the 


BEGINNING   THE    BATTLE.  345 

end  of  the  day  was  practically  a  drawn  one.  Lee  tele- 
graphed to  Richmond  that  his  army  had  maintained 
its  position,  but  had  lost  heavily.  Grant  did  not  send 
any  dispatches,  but  gave  orders  that  the  battle  should 
begin  at  half-past  three  the  next  morning. 

During  the  night  he  was  called  to  receive  a  dispatch 
from  General  Meade,  who  said  it  would  be  too  dark  at 
the  hour  named  for  the  soldiers  to  distinguish  friend 
from  foe,  and  suggested  that  the  battle  commence  at 
six  o'clock. 

Grant  drowsily  assented  at  first;  but  as  soon  as  he 
was  fully  awake  he  countermanded  the  assent,  and 
said,  — 

"Let  it  begin  at  a  quarter-past  four  o'clock  and  not 
a  minute  later.  It  is  of  great  importance  that  we 
should  be  the  first  to  open." 

There  is  an  old  saying  to  the  effect  that  great 
minds  think  alike ;  and  so  it  was  in  this  case.  Lee 
had  exactly  the  same  view  of  the  importance  of  being 
the  first  to  open  the  battle,  and  had  given  orders 
that  the  enemy  should  be  attacked  at  daybreak.  The 
result  was  that  the  Union  troops  began  the  attack 
on  the  center  and  left,  while  the  Rebels  fired  the 
first  gun  on  the  right. 

The  day  was  cloudless  and  very  hot,  as  had  been 
the  preceding  day.  Both  armies  had  thrown  up  in- 
trenchments,    and    were    well    prepared    for    resisting 


346  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

attack.  The  Union  army  faced  towards  the  west ; 
Hancock  and  Sedgwick  holding  respectively  the  left 
and  right  Avings,  while  Warren  held  the  center.  The 
righting  was  active  all  through  the  morning.  At  nine 
o'clock  Hancock  pushed  the  Rebels  in  front  of  him 
for  nearly  two  miles;  and  at  one  time  it  looked  as  if 
Lee's  line  was  completely  broken,  and  victory  had 
perched  on  the  Union  banners. 

If  Hancock  had  pushed  forward  he  would  have 
cut  the  Rebel  army  in  two,  and  the  campaign  might 
have  ended  on  that  day.  But  he  was  in  a  dangerous 
position,  as  his  lines  were  considerably  broken,  and  his 
supports  were  far  in  the  rear.  He  halted  to  re-form  his 
line.  Lee,  always  watchful  to  embrace  an  opportunity, 
placed  himself  at  the  head  of  a  division  of  Texas 
troops  to  make  a  charge,  and  drive  back  Hancock's 
men. 

The  Texans  refused  to  move  with  their  great  com- 
mander in  such  imminent  danger.  As  soon  as  he  had 
taken  his  proper  place  in  the  rear  of  the  column, 
they  made  a  charge,  and  were  successful.  Just  as 
they  made  the  charge,  they  were  reinforced  by  Long- 
street's  corps;  and  shortly  after,  Burnside  arrived, 
and  took  a  position  between  Warren  and  Hancock. 
Burnside's  corps  had  been  left  behind  as  a  rear-guard 
at  Culpeper,  with  orders  to  advance  as  soon  as  the 
rest  of  the  army  had  crossed  the   Rapidan. 


A   REBEL   ASSAULT.  347 

In  the  afternoon  the  Rebel  forces  in  front  of  Han- 
cock were  heavily  strengthened,  in  the  hope  of  crush- 
ing and  turning  our  left  wing.  Just  as  the  Rebel 
advance  was  to  be  made,  Longstreet  with  his  staff 
and  escort  came  galloping  down  the  road  to  give  his 
personal  direction  to  the  movement.  They  were  mis- 
taken for  Union  troops,  and  received  a  volley  from 
their  own  men,  which  emptied  several  saddles,  and 
wounded  General  Longstreet  very  severely.  He  was 
compelled  to  leave  the  field;  and  he  was  so  severely 
disabled  that  it  was  nearly  a  twelvemonth  before  he 
recovered. 

Longstreet's  injury  resulted  in  considerable  confu- 
sion, and  delayed  the  Rebel  advance  until  Hancock's 
corps  had  been  sufficiently  strengthened  to  meet  it. 
It  was  a  very  narrow  escape  for  Hancock,  and  also 
a  narrow  escape  for  the  entire  army.  The  crushing 
of  the  left  wing  would  very  likely  have  given  Lee 
possession  of  the  field. 

During  the  da}r  General  Grant  ordered  all  the 
bridges  over  the  Rapidan  to  be  taken  up  with  a  sin- 
gle exception.  One  of  his  staff  suggested  that  these 
bridges  might  be  needed,  to  which  Grant  replied,  — 

"  One  bridge  will  be  enough  to  cross  all  the  men 
we  shall  have  left  if  we  fall  back." 

Another  assault  upon  the  Union  line  was  made 
about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.     The  woods    had 


348  EOYS*    LIFE   OF   GENERAL   GRANT. 

taken  fire;  and  the  smoke  and  flames  blinded  our 
men  so  that  they  fell  back,  and  their  trenches  were 
occupied  by  the  Rebels.  As  soon  as  the  smoke  blew 
away,  the  Union  troops  rallied  and  drove  the  Rebels 
out  of  the  trenches,  capturing  many  prisoners,  and 
sending1   them  to  the  rear. 

The  fiahitincj  continued  after  dark.  General  Gor- 
don-  attacked  the  right  of  the  Union  lines,  where  he 
created  a  panic,  and  captured  two  entire  brigades. 
General  Grant  brought  order  out  of  disorder ;  but 
hardly  had  he  done  so  when  there  was  another  as- 
sault, accompanied  by  loud  and  long-continued  yell- 
ing. For  the  moment  Grant  thought  that  the  Union 
line  had  been  broken ;  but  an  investigation  showed 
that  the  yelling  was  only  a  ruse  of  General  Gordon 
to  create  the  impression  that  his  line  was  very 
strong,  while   in  reality  it  was   weak. 

The  battle  of  The  Wilderness  lasted  two  days, 
Thursday  and  Friday,  May  5  and  6.  On  the  morning 
of  the  7th  neither  of  the  armies  was  in  a  condition 
to  attack,  and  they  lay  in  their  trenches  confronting 
each  other.  The  surgeons  were  busy  in  caring  for 
the  wounded  ;  and  many  of  those  who  escaped  injuiy 
were  occupied  with  the  burial  of  the  dead.  Grant 
moved  restlessly  all  along  the  line,  keenly  observant 
of  everything,  but  speaking  little.  His  losses  had 
been  heavy,  and  some  of  his  subordinates  expected 
him  to  order  a  retreat. 


"NOT   A   RETREATING   MAN."  349 

Inside  the  Rebel  army  it  was  believed  the  Union 
troops  were  retiring,  and  there  was  a  general  con- 
fidence that  within  two  days  the  Confederate  troops 
would  be  in  their  old  position  at  Orange  Court 
House.  General  Gordon  said  to  General  Lee  that 
he  thought  there  was  no  doubt  that  General  Grant 
was  retreating. 

General  Lee  replied,  "  You  are  mistaken.  I'm  very 
sure  you  are.  I  knew  Grant  in  Mexico,  and  can 
assure  you  that  he  is  not  a  retreating  man !  " 

About  the  same  time  President  Lincoln  said  to  a 
friend  :  — 

"  The  great  thing  about  Grant  is  his  cool  per- 
sistency of  purpose.  He  is  not  easily  excited,  and 
he  has  the  grip  of  a  bulldog.  When  he  once  gets 
his  teeth  in,  nothing  can  shake  him  off ! " 

Afterwards,  when  all  the  particulars  of  the  battle 
of  The  Wilderness  were  known,  President  Lincoln 
said  that  any  previous  commander  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  would  have  retired  across  the  Rapidan 
after  such  a  battle. 

After  dark  on  Saturday,  May  7,  there  was  a  com- 
motion in  the  Union  army.  Tents  were  struck,  folded, 
and  thrown  into  the  wagons,  and  the  army  was  in 
motion.  The  query  arose  in  every  mind,  "Where  are 
we  going  now  ?  " 

The  generals  knew,  but  their  orders  were  not  con- 


350  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Med  to  any  one  else.  Spottsylvania  Court  House  was 
the  objective  point;  and  if  Grant  could  seize  that 
point  he  would  be  between  Lee  and  Richmond,  and 
tli us  compel  Lee  to  fight  to  regain  and  protect  his 
communications.  But  Lee  was  as  quick  as  Grant 
to  see  the  importance  of  Spottsylvania ;  he  started 
earlier  and  got  there  first,  as  Sheridan  with  his  cav- 
alry found  out,  and  notified  Grant  when  the  latter 
was  still  three  miles  away  from  the  coveted  point. 

Of  course  there  was  a  battle  which  lasted  through 
the  greater  part  of  Sunday.  The  enemy  was  pressed 
back,  but  it  could  not  be  driven  out  of  the  posi- 
tion which  it  had  selected.  Monday  was  similarly 
employed,  and  was  important  for  the  death  of  one 
of  the  best  officers  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
General  Sedgwick. 

The  circumstances  of  his  death  were  peculiar.  He 
was  sitting  on  horseback  close  to  one  of  his  brigades, 
where  occasional  bullets  came  from  the  enemy.  Some 
of  the  men  were  inclined  to  duck  their  heads  as  the 
bullets  whistled  past;  and  the  general  observing  it, 
said,  — 

"  Nonsense,  men  !  don't  dodge.  They  couldn't  hit 
an  elephant  as  far  off  as  that." 

As  he  spoke  the  last  word  of  the  sentence,  a  bullet 
passed  through  his  head,  and  he  fell  dead  instantly. 
His    corpse    wore   the    same   smile    that   was    evoked 


grant's  report.  351 

by  the  semi-jocular  remark  with  which  his  life 
ended. 

On  Tuesday  morning  Meade's  line  was  six  miles 
long.  There  was  hard  fighting  during  intervals  of 
the  day,  and  many  prisoners  were  captured.  The 
enemy's  line  was  unbroken ;  and  the  positions  of  the 
opposing  forces  were  practically  unchanged,  though 
whatever  change  took  place  was  favorable  to  the 
Union  side.  To  every  question  that  was  asked  in 
regard  to  the  possibility  of  getting  to  Richmond, 
Grant  replied,  — 

"  We  are  going  there.  There  is  no  doubt  about 
it!" 

And  to  emphasize  his  belief  that  he  was  going 
through,  Grant  had  with  him  siege-trains  of  heavy 
artillery,  with  the  special  purpose  of  besieging  Rich- 
mond when  he  reached  it. 

On  the  morning  of  Wednesday,  May  11,  Repre- 
sentative Washburne,  who  was  with  the  army  thus 
far,  was  about  to  leave  for  Washington.  "While  wait- 
ing for  his  escort,  he  suggested  to  Grant  that  lie  had 
better  send  a  note  to  Secretary  Stanton  to  say  how 
he  was  getting  along.  Grant  stepped  into  his  tent, 
and  rapidly  penned  the  following  :  — 

"  We  have  now  ended  the  sixth  day  of  very  hard 
fighting.     The   result  to  this  time  is  much  in  our  favor. 


352  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Our  losses  have  been  heavy,  as  well  as  those  of  the 
enemy.  I  think  the  loss  of  the  enemy  must  be  greater. 
We  have  taken  over  five  thousand  prisoners  in  battle, 
while  he  has  taken  from  us  but  few,  except  stragglers. 
/  propose  to  fight  it  out  on  this  line,  if  it  takes  all 
summer." 

This  was  the  first  official  news  that  the  Govern- 
ment received  since  the  army  crossed  the  Rapidan. 
It  was  immediately  given  to  the  press,  and  published 
all  over  the  country.  It  was  a  great  relief  every- 
where, and  was  received  with  immense  enthusiasm, 
especially  the  closing  sentence,  which  speedily  be- 
came  "  familiar  in  the  mouth  as  household  words." 


END    OF    THE    WILDERNESS    BATTLES.  353 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

End  of  The  Wilderness  battles.  —  A  few  days  of  rest.  —  Meade's  congratu- 
latory order.  —  Hancock  attacks,  and  is  repulsed.  —  Another  advance. 

—  Sheridan's  raid  and  its  results.  —  Grant's  army  on  the  Painunkey. 

—  Attack  on  Petersburg. — Headquarters  at  City  Point.  —  Reinforce- 
ments. —  Grant  and  the  negro  sentinel.  — Mr.  Lincoln's  experience.  — 
Sheridan  again.  —  Battles  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  —  Grant's  cool- 
ness at  an  explosion. 

Wednesday  and  Thursday  were  days  of  hard  fight- 
ing, the  latter  particularly  so.  The  night  between 
those  two  days  was  dark  and  stormy.  Hancock  took 
advantage  of  the  weather,  and  massed  his  troops  nearer 
the  Rebel  left.  At  daylight  his  men  made  a  charge, 
taking  the  enemy  by  surprise,  rushing  into  their  breast- 
works, and  capturing  them  at  breakfast.  They  took 
over  three  thousand  prisoners,  including  two  generals. 

The  next  morning,  Friday,  May  13,  it  was  found 
that  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  had  fallen  back  ;  but 
the  skirmishing  continued  all  day,  and  once  General 
Meade  narrowly  escaped  capture.  The  Rebels  came 
suddenly  out  of  the  forest,  and  nearly  surrounded  the 
house  which  he  had  taken  for  headquarters.  An  officer 
who  was  familiar  with  the  ground  hustled  the  general 
out  by  the  back  door,  and  lie  safely  made  his  way  to 


354  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Grant's  headquarters.  When  lie  reached  there,  General 
Grant,  who  had  witnessed  the  performance,  said  with 
a  laugh,  — 

"  What's  the  fuss  at  that  house  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing,"  replied  Meade,  "  but  they  came  very 
near  capturing  the  commander  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac." 

For  some  days  both  armies  remained  quiet.  Grant 
was  receiving  reinforcements,  and  so  was  Lee ;  but 
there  were  few  which  the  latter  could  receive.  Each 
side  was  caring  for  its  wounded,  and  burying  its  dead, 
supplying  itself  with  ammunition  and  provisions  of 
various  kinds,  and  getting  in  readiness  for  another 
struggle  for  the  possession  of  Richmond. 

Meade,  on  May  13,  issued  a  congratulatory  order 
to  his  troops,  from  which  the  following  is  an  ex- 
tract :  — 

"For  eight  days  and  nights,  without  almost  any  inter- 
mission, through  rain  and  sunshine,  you  have  been  fighting 
a  desperate  foe,  in  positions  naturally  strong,  and  rendered 
doubly  so  by  intrenchments.  .  .  .  Now  he  has  abandoned 
the  last  intrenched  position,  so  tenaciously  held,  suffering 
in  all  a  loss  of  eighteen  guns,  twenty-two  colors,  and  eight 
thousand  prisoners,  including  two  general  officers.  .  .  . 
Let  us  return  thanks  to  God  for  the  mercy  shown  us,  and 
earnestly  ask  for  its  continuance.  .  .  .  The  enemy  must 
be  pursued,  and,  if  possible,  overcome.  .  .  .  We  shall 
soon  receive  reinforcements,  which  he  cannot  expect." 


ANOTHER    ADVANCE.  355 

During  these  days  of  rest,  Meade  suggested  that  if 
Hancock's  corps  made  an  attack  again  on  the  right, 
it  might  break  the  Rebel  line.  Hancock  made  the 
attempt  at  daylight  on  the  18th  of  May,  but  was  re- 
pulsed with  a  loss  of  twelve  hundred  men.  There  was 
no  lack  of  bravery  on  either  side ;  the  Rebels  were  in 
a  strong  position,  and  they  defended  it  manfully  and 
successfully. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  19th,  Ewell's  corps  of  Lee's 
army  got  around  in  the  rear  of  the  Union  right.  It 
made  a  vigorous  assault,  but  was  repulsed  with  a  heavy 
loss. 

On  the  night  of  May  21,  the  National  army  pushed 
forward  to  the  North  Anna  River,  which  they  reached 
about  forty  hours  later.  General  Lee  expected  Grant's 
movement,  and  had  a  strong  force  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  stream.  Grant  succeeded  in  pushing  his  forces 
across  the  river,  crossing  on  a  bridge  built  by  Warren's 
men  from  timber  which  they  cut  in  a  Rebel  saw-mill. 
The  Union  forces  captured  a  thousand  prisoners,  but 
the  Rebels  were  too  strongly  posted  to  be  driven  out 
without  severe  loss.  Consequently  Grant's  men  retired 
to  the  north  bank,  and  there  was  a  lull  in  the  fighting. 

Let  us  go  back  a  little.  On  the  9th  of  May,  General 
Grant  ordered  General  Sheridan  to  make  a  raid  in  the 
rear  of  Lee's  army,  to  cut  off  his  communications,  and 
"smash  things"  generally.     There  was  never  a  better 


356  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

man  in  the  world  for  the  smashing  business  than  Phil 
Sheridan.  He  obeyed  orders  both  to  the  spirit  and 
to  the  letter.  He  captured  supply  trains  and  depots, 
using  all  the  provisions  and  forage  that  he  wanted, 
and  destroying  the  rest.  He  released  four  hundred 
Union  prisoners  who  were  on  their  way  to  Richmond, 
tore  up  miles  and  miles  of  railway,  burned  trains  and 
disabled  locomotives,  went  close  up  to  the  Rebel  de- 
fenses of  Richmond,  and  would  have  entered  the  forti- 
fications themselves  and  taken  possession  if  he  had 
had  any  infantry  to  hold  them. 

At  Yellow  Tavern,  six  miles  from  Richmond,  Sheri- 
dan defeated  a  Rebel  cavalry  division  under  General  J. 
E.  B.  Stuart,  and  mortally  wounded  the  general  himself. 
The  death  of  Stuart  was  a  great  loss  to  General  Lee, 
as  he  was  considered  the  ablest  cavalry  leader  in  the 
Confederacy.  From  Richmond,  Sheridan  went  down 
the  valley  of  the  James,  and  communicated  with 
General  Butler,  who  supplied  him  with  everything  he 
needed.  After  resting  his  men  and  horses,  he  started 
back  again  ;  and  after  destroying  more  railways  and 
capturing  more  supplies,  he  joined  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  He  was  gone  just  sixteen  days ;  and  his 
operations  in  that  time  struck  terror  to  the  enemy,  as 
it  was  the  first  occasion  on  which  the  cavalry  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  had  caused  them  any  serious 
trouble. 


LEE  S    ARMY   FALLS   BACK.  867 

On  the  night  of  May  26,  Grant  withdrew  from 
North  Anna  and  advanced  again,  keeping  on  the 
flank  of  Lee's  army*  which  was  thus  compelled  to  fall 
back.  There  was  skirmishing  between  the  two  armies 
for  the  next  three  or  four  days,  but  no  heavy  fighting ; 
Lee's  army  falling  back  on  most  occasions  when  it 
was  pressed.  On  the  31st  of  May  headquarters  were 
established  at  Cold  Harbor,  on  the  Pamimkey  River, 
twelve  miles  from  Richmond,  and  not  far  from  the 
spot  where  the  battle  of  Gaines's  Mill  was  fought 
in  1862. 

Grant  attacked  Lee  again  to  drive  him  south  of  the 
Chickahominy  River ;  but  Lee  had  firmly  intrenched 
himself,  and  the  attack  was  a  failure.  June  2  was 
a  quiet  day ;  and  on  the  3d  there  was  another  attack 
along  the  entire  line,  in  which  the  Union  loss  was 
heavy  without  material  advantage  gained,  while  the 
Confederate  losses  were  light.  After  this  the  army 
intrenched,  and  for  some  time  there  was  comparatively 
little  fighting.  Grant  established  a  new  line  of  com- 
munications by  way  of  the  Pamunkey  River,  so  that 
he  had  no  further  occasion  to  guard  the  overland 
line  by  way  of  Culpeper. 

After  several  days  of  inaction,  Grant  suddenly  aston- 
ished Lee  by  starting  the  entire  army  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Warren's  corps  across  the  Chickahominy 
River,  and  thence  in  the  direction  of  the  James  River. 


358  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Meade's  objective  point  was  Petersburg,  about  twenty- 
two  miles  south  of  Richmond.  Several  railways  con- 
verge at  Petersburg,  and  the  capture  of  that  city  by 
the  Union  troops  would  inevitably  lead  to  the  sur- 
render of  Richmond  in  a  very  short  time. 

Butler  was  ordered  to  co-operate  with  Meade  ;  and 
it  was  believed  that  a  quick  movement  would  find 
Petersburg  lightly  guarded,  and  easy  of  capture. 
Butler  sent  General  W.  F.  Smith  with  orders  to  at- 
tack Petersburg  immediately.  Meade  sent  Hancock's 
corps  forward  to  aid  him  in  the  work ;  and  as  Hancock 
was  unacquainted  with  the  region  he  set  aside  all 
question  of  rank,  and  placed  himself  under  the  com- 
mand of  Smith. 

Smith  attacked  the  northern  defenses  at  seven 
o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  15th  of  June ;  he  cap- 
tured a  portion  of  the  defenses,  together  with  three 
hundred  prisoners  and  sixteen  cannon.  It  was  a  moon- 
light night ;  and  if  he  had  known  how  slightly  Pe- 
tersburg was  guarded,  he  would  have  gone  straight 
inside  and  taken  possession. 

But  the  wily  enemy  was  a  match  for  him.  When 
Meade  moved  across  the  Chickahominv,  Lee  thought 
an  attack  upon  the  north  side  of  Richmond  was  in- 
tended, and  he  immediately  withdrew  into  the  defenses 
of  the  city.  On  the  instant  when  he  heard  of  Smith's 
attack   on    Petersburg,   he   set  every   railway  train    in 


REPULSE   AT   PETERSBURG.  359 

motion,  and  utilized  them  in  moving  troops  to  Peters- 
burg. Smith  waited  until  after  breakfast  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  16th  before  making  his  assault.  When 
he  did  so  he  found  the  fortifications  fully  manned, 
and  was  forced  to  retire  after  considerable  loss. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day  another  attack  di- 
rected by  Grant  in  person  was  made  upon  Petersburg, 
but  without  any  success.  Similar  attempts  were  made 
on  the  17th  and  18th  of  June,  but  to  Grant's  great 
disappointment  each  attack  resulted  in  a  repulse.  It 
was  not  possible  to  take  Petersburg  by  assault,  and 
Grant  was  compelled  to  sit  down  for  a  regular  siege. 
The  Rebels  strengthened  their  line  between  Richmond 
and  Petersburg  so  as  to  protect  the  railway,  and 
they  succeeded  in  holding  it  until  just  before  the 
final  surrender. 

After  the  failure  to  capture  Petersburg,  Grant  es- 
tablished his  headquarters  at  City  Point,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Appomattox  and  James  Rivers.  There 
was  considerable  fighting  for  a  few  days,  the  attacks 
being  made  by  the  Rebels,  and  invariably  repulsed. 
Grant  sent  out  two  or  three  expeditions  to  destroy 
the  railwa}rs  that  were  bringing  supplies  to  the  Rebels; 
one  of  them  being  successful,  another  partly  so,  while 
the  third  was  a  failure.  After  these  events  there  was 
a  lull  in  the  fighting  as  if  by  mutual  understanding. 
Each  side  held  its  own,  and  did  not  disturb  the  other 
except  in  the  siege  operations. 


360  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

City  Point  was  made  the  base  of  supplies,  and 
immense  warehouses  of  supplies  and  magazines  for 
ammunition  were  erected  there.  City  Point  continued 
to  be  the  headquarters  for  nearly  nine  months ;  but 
all  that  time  the  siege  of  Petersburg  was  pushed,  and 
there  was  not  much  idleness  among  the  troops.  Re- 
inforcements were  brought  forward,  and  the  shattered 
regiments  were  filled  up ;  the  new  recruits  were  drilled 
and  disciplined  for  the  coming  campaign ;  the  veterans 
had  a  chance  to  recover  from  their  fatigue ;  the  sick 
in  the  hospitals,  if  seriously  so,  were  sent  North,  while 
those  who  promised  to  be  soon  available  for  duty  were 
nursed  back  to  health  again  by  the  gentle  hands  and 
the  tender  hearts  of  the  members  and  employees  of 
the  Sanitary   Commission. 

It  was  evident  that  for  the  future  the  Rebels  in- 
tended, if  possible,  to  fight  nowhere  but  behind  strong 
breastworks.  Grant  said  that  under  such  circum- 
stances the  option  lay  between  taking  time  for  siege 
operations,  or  suffering  immense  loss  by  direct  attacks 
upon  the  fortifications.  In  reply  to  a  friend,  he  said 
one  day,  — 

"  The  Confederacy  has  put  its  last  men  in  the  field. 
They've  robbed  the  cradle  and  the  grave  in  the  attempt 
to  strengthen  their  armies ;  boys  and  old  men  are 
guarding  prisons  and  bridges  all  through  the  South, 
and  every  able-bodied  man  has  been  sent  to  the  front. 


WHAT    LEE   PROPOSED.  861 

We  are  destroying  Lee's  army  by  attrition,  and  when 
it  is  destroyed  there  are  no  more  men  to  be  had  to 
replace  it.  In  a  few  months  more  it  will  have  ceased 
to  exist." 

In  the  hope  of  compelling  Grant  to  withdraw  his 
troops  from  Richmond,  and  use  them  for  the  defense  of 
Washington,  Lee  detached  General  Early's  corps,  and 
sent  it  down  the  Shenandoah  Valley  and  across  the 
Potomac.  Early  entered  Maryland,  captured  trains 
between  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia,  threatened  Balti- 
more, and  burned  houses  within  a  few  miles  of  Wash- 
ington. If  he  had  continued  his  march  with  a  rush,  he 
might  have  entered  the  capital,  and  occupied  it  for  a 
few  hours ;  but  he  was  fearful  that  if  he  did  so  his 
whole  force  might  be  captured.  Grant  detached  one 
corps  from  his  army,  and  sent  it  to  Washington,  and  he 
also  ordered  another  corps,  that  had  just  reached  For- 
tress Monroe,  to  go  in  the  same  direction  ;  but  he  did 
not  move  his  main  force  from  City  Point,  nor  stop 
operations  for  a  moment  in  the  siege  of  Petersburg. 

Therein  he  greatly  disappointed  Lee,  who  had  hith- 
erto succeeded  in  drawing  every  attention  to  the  Nat- 
ional capital  whenever  he  sent  his  forces  across  the 
Potomac.  Lee  was  always  favorable  to  carrying  the 
war  into  the  North  ;  and  he  several  times  proposed,  so 
General  Longstreet  said,  to  abandon  Richmond  to  its 
fate,    and    while    Grant   was    occupying    that   city,  he 


362  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

would  make  a  sudden  move  upon  Washington  and 
capture  it.  But  Jefferson  Davis  would  never  consent 
to  anything  of  the  kind,  claiming  that  whatever  ad- 
vantage it  might  be  for  the  Confederacy  to  be  in 
possession  of  the  National  capital,  it  would  be  offset 
by  the  loss  of  its  own. 

One  day  General  Grant  was  strolling  about  among 
the  warehouses  at  City  Point  with  the  inevitable  cigar 
in  his  mouth,  and  his  head  bent  a  little  as  if  he  was  in 
contemplation.  Suddenly  he  was  brought  to  a  stand- 
still by  a  most  emphatic  "  Halt !  "  from  the  mouth  of 
a  negro  soldier  who  was  on  duty  in  front  of  a  build- 
ing.    Grant  obeyed  the  order,  and  said,  — 

"  What  do  you  want?  " 

"  Throw  away  that  cigar  !  "  commanded  the  sentinel. 

"Why?" 

"  My  orders  are  to  let  nobody  go  near  that  ware- 
house with  a  lighted  cigar.  Throw  it  away  or  turn 
around  !  ' ' 

Grant  smiled  for  an  instant,  then  threw  away  his 
cigar  and  passed  on. 

Whether  the  soldier  knew  who  it  was  that  he  had 
halted,  we  are  unable  to  say,  but  the  incident  caused 
him  to  be  promoted  to  a  corporal. 

On  another  occasion  the  general  was  halted  in  the 
same  way  near  a  powder  magazine.  The  sentry  re- 
plied in  answer  to  his  question,  that  his  orders  were 
to  let  no  one  go  past  him. 


LINCOLN   VISITS    GRANT.  363 

"But  I'm  an  officer,"  the  general  explained. 

"  I  don't  care  whether  you're  an  officer  or  not !  " 
retorted  the  soldier.  "If  you  were  General  Grant 
himself,  you  couldn't  go  by  here  !  " 

Grant  smiled  as  he  had  smiled  on  the  previous 
occasion,  and  turned  the  other  way. 

The  sentries  around  headquarters  were  ordered  to 
be  very  strict  about  the  admission  of  strangers.  One 
day  a  tall,  thin  man  approached  General  Grant's  tent, 
and  asked  if  the  general  was  in. 

"  Yes,  he's  in  ;    but  you  can't  see  him." 

"  I  think  he  will  see  me,"  said  the  stranger. 

"  Well,  he  won't!"  was  the  answer.  "And  you'll 
find  out  mighty  soon  !  " 

"Well,  please  take  my  name  to  him,  and  we'll  see." 

"I'll  take  your  name,  but  'twon't  do  any  good. 
What  is  it?" 

"Abraham  Lincoln." 

The  sentinel  stood,  so  Mr.  Lincoln  said,  at  least  half 
a  minute  before  he  entered  the  tent  to  announce  the 
name  of  the  visitor.  He  ascertained  that  the  stranger 
was  right  when  he  said  he  thought  the  general  would 
see  him.  The  first  tiling  that  Mr.  Lincoln  did  on 
getting  inside  the  tent  was  to  tell  the  story  of  his 
experience,  and  he  laughed  heartily  during  the  nar- 
ration. 

When     Grant   first   established  his  headquarters   at 


364  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

City  Point,  the  commander  of  a  brigade  stationed  there 
wished  to  do  something  that  would  please  the  general, 
and  sent  the  brigade  band  to  play  in  front  of  the  head- 
quarters' tent  while  the  general  and  his  staff  were  at 
dinner.  Grant  stood  it  without  a  word  of  comment 
until  the  third  day,  when,  just  as  the  music  began,  he 
remarked,  — 

"  I've  noticed  that  that  band  begins  its  tumult  just 
as  I'm  sitting  down  to  dinner  and  want  to  talk.  AVill 
somebody  order  it  to  cease  firing  ?  " 

One  of  the  staff-officers  went  to  notify  the  band- 
master that  the  services  of  himself  and  followers  were 
no  longer  desired.  It  took  some  time  to  make  him 
comprehend,  as  he  was  a  newly  landed  German ;  but 
when  he  did  understand  he  went  away  crestfallen. 

While  the  siege  of  Petersburg  was  going  on,  Sheri- 
dan was  very  active ;  and  he  gave  Lee,  in  the  language 
of  the  West,  "a  heap  o'  trouble."  He  cut  the  railway 
lines  west  of  Richmond,  destroyed  trains  laden  with 
supplies,  and  in  other  ways  stirred  things  up  so  that 
Lee  had  to  weaken  his  forces  in  Richmond  and  Peters- 
burg to  take  care  of  the  very  annoying  cavalry  leader. 

Sheridan  had  several  encounters  with  the  Rebel 
cavalry,  and  was  almost  invariably  successful,  so  that 
in  a  few  months  the  Rebels  had  very  little  cavalry 
left.  Grant  placed  him  in  command  of  the  forces 
which  were  watching  General  Early.     Sheridan  maneu- 


SHEIUDAN   AND   EARLY.  365 

vered  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  bided  his  time 
until  he  had  Early  "just  where  he  wanted  him." 

Early  concentrated  upon  Sheridan's  center  with  the 
intention  of  cutting  his  army  in  two,  and  taking  pos- 
session of  a  ridge  in  his  rear.  Sheridan  allowed  him 
to  do  it.  With  tremendous  yelling  the  Rebels  pushed 
through  Sheridan's  center,  and  found  themselves  in 
an  ambuscade,  with  several  brigades  of  infantry  and 
a  dozen  batteries  of  artillery  waiting  for  them.  The 
men  were  mowed  down  like  grass ;  entire  regiments 
were  captured,  and  what  was  left  of  the  Confederate 
forces  was  speedily  in  rapid  flight  from  the  scene. 
Night  brought  an  end  to  the  fight ;  and  it  was  lucky 
for  Early  that  the  night  did  not  fail  to  come,  as  he 
would  have  been  annihilated  if  daylight  had  lasted  two 
hours  longer. 

The  next  day  Sheridan  was  after  the  Rebels  again, 
and  drove  their  broken  and  disorganized  line  through 
the  gaps  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  Some  of  the  newspapers 
of  that  day  said  that  Sheridan  had  been  a  printer  in 
his  younger  days,  and  it  was  in  the  printing-office  that 
he  first  learned  to  go  to  press  Early. 

On  the  Sunday  after  the  news  of  Sheridan's  success 
had  been  published  in  the  North,  a  titter  ran  through 
the  congregation  of  a  church  in  Boston,  when,  at  the 
opening  of  the  service,  the  clergyman  gave  out  a  hymn, 
and  read  the  opening  lines  :  — 


366  BOYS'    LIFE    OF    GENERAL    GRANT. 

"Early,  my  God,  without  delay, 
I  haste  to  seek  thy  face." 

But  in  the  language  of  Macbeth,  Sheridan  had 
"scotched  the  snake,  not  killed  it."  A  month  later 
Early  went  into  the  Shenandoah  again,  and  Longstreet 
went  to  reinforce  him.  Sheridan  had  gone  to  Wash- 
ington for  a  consultation  with  the  War  Department, 
leaving  General  Wright  in  command.  Just  as  he 
reached  Washington,  he  received  a  dispatch  from 
Wright,  saying  that  the  signal-officers  had  read  on 
the  Rebel  signal  flags  a  message  from  Longstreet  to 
Early  as  follows  :  — 

"  Be  ready  to  move  as  soon  as  my  forces  join  you,  and 
we  will  crush  Sheridan." 

Sheridan  stayed  only  six  hours  in  Washington,  and 
then  started  back.  He  reached  Winchester  on  the 
morning  of  October  19,  and  there  learned  that  Gen- 
eral Wright's  front  had  been  attacked  at  daylight  by 
Longstreet's  troops,  and  there  were  no  better  in  the 
entire  Confederate  army.  They  broke  the  line  at  once, 
captured  the  camp,  and  sent  the  Union  troops  in  full 
retreat  down  the  valley. 

Sheridan  rode  a  large,  powerful  black  horse  ;  and 
when  the  news  reached  him  of  the  attack,  he  sprang 
upon  his  steed  and  started  for  the  front,  about  twenty 
miles  away,  telling  his  escort  of  twenty  cavalry  men  to 


sheridan's  ride.  367 

keep  up  with  liim  if  possible,  but  if  not,  to  drop  behind 
and  turn  their  attention  to  rallying  the  fleeing  soldiers. 

Less  than  a  mile  out  from  Winchester  he  began  to 
meet  the  demoralized  fugitives.  He  swung  his  hat  and 
shouted,  without  checking  the  speed  of  his  horse :  — 

"  Face  the  other  way,  boys  !  Right  about  face !  We're 
going  back  to  camp  !  We're  going  to  lick  them  out  of 
their  boots  !  " 

So  it  was  through  all  the  length  of  that  ride  ;  the 
soldiers  had  every  confidence  in  their  leader,  and  at 
his  order  they  faced  about  and  went  as  fast  towards 
the  front  as  they  had  been  going  towards  the  rear. 
Wright  had  established  a  new  line ;  and  as  Sheridan 
reached  it,  the  soldiers  gave  him  a  loud  shout  of  wel- 
come. Sheridan  rode  along  the  line,  straightening  it 
out,  and  getting  it  ready  to  resist  the  next  advance  of 
the  enemy. 

On  came  the  Rebels,  flushed  with  their  success  in 
the  early  hours  of  the  battle.  They  dashed  against 
the  blue  line  which  Sheridan  had  formed,  but  they  did 
not  go  through.  The  enemy  was  checked,  and  not  only 
checked,  but  driven  back. 

An  hour  later  Sheridan  gave  the  order,  "  Forward!  " 
Early  endeavored  to  move. around  on  Sheridan's  flank, 
but  he  probably  wished  he  had  not  done  so.  Sheridan 
ordered  a  charge  against  the  opening  in  the  angle, 
made  his  way  through  the  enemy's  line,  and  captured 


368  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  entire  flanking  force.  Then  a  general  advance 
drove  back  the  whole  Rebel  army,  capturing  all  the 
guns  that  had  been  lost  in  the  morning,  taking  thou- 
sands of  prisoners,  and  Early's  camp  with  all  his  sup- 
plies, artillery,  and  wagon-trains. 

Thus  was  defeat  turned  to  victory  ;  a  disorderly 
retreat  into  an  orderly  advance ;  a  lowering  morning 
into  a  sunlit  afternoon  —  all  by  the  genius  and  enthu- 
siasm of  one  man.  Was  it  any  wonder  that  the  heart 
of  the  loyal  North  was  stirred  to  the  wildest  enthu- 
siasm when  it  heard  of  Sheridan's  achievement  ?  Was 
it  any  wonder  that  Grant  caused  a  salute  of  a  hundred 
guns  to  be  fired  by  each  of  the  armies  in  front  of  Rich- 
mond, or  that  President  Lincoln  promoted  Sheridan  to 
the  major-generalship  in  the  regular  army  which  had 
been  made  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  McClellan  ? 

Early  never  advanced  again  in  the  valley  of  the 
Shenandoah  ;  it  was  not  an  agreeable  region  for  him 
to  travel  in. 

Autumn  came,  and  then  the  winter ;  and  the  armies 
lay  facing  each  other  and  continually  skirmishing,  but 
making  no  especially  active  moves. 

One  day,  as  a  boat  laden  with  ammunition  was  dis- 
charging its  cargo  at  City  Point,  a  case  fell  to  the 
ground  and  exploded.  Almost  instantly  the  entire 
cargo  blew  up.  Many  men  were  killed,  and  several 
steamers   and  also  several   warehouses  with   all   their 


THE   GREAT   EXPLOSION.  369 

contents  were  destroyed,  the  loss  amounting  to  fully 
two  millions  of  dollars.  The  explosion  was  heard  for 
miles,  and  the  ground  was  shaken  as  if  by  an  earth- 
quake. 

General  Grant  was  sitting  in  his  tent  at  the  time, 
reading  a  Richmond  newspaper  that  had  been  brought 
in  from  the  front ;  and,  of  course,  he  was  smoking  a 
cigar.  On  hearing  the  explosion,  he  placed  the  paper 
on  the  table,  took  his  cigar  from  his  mouth,  and 
stepped  to  the  front  of  the  tent.  After  surveying  for 
a  moment  the  scene  of  desolation,  he  returned  to  his 
camp-chair  and  newspaper,  and  resumed  his  smoking. 
Officers  and  men  were  running  wildly  in  every  direc- 
tion, hardly  knowing  what  they  were  doing;  but  Grant 
was  no  more  disturbed  than  he  would  have  been  had 
there  been  nothing  more  exciting  than  a  summer 
shower. 

Grant  obtained  a  position  on  the  Weldon  Road  which 
cut  off  an  important  feeder  of  Lee's  army.  The  Rebels 
made  desperate  attempts  to  regain  it,  but  were  never 
successful. 


370  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Forming  negro  regiments.  —  Anger  of  the  Confederates.  —  How  they 
treated  some  negro  soldiers.  —  General  Butler's  retaliation.  —  General 
Lee's  letter  and  Grant's  answer.  —  Hood's  campaign  and  the  result.  — 
Grant  visits  New  York.  —  Sheridan's  raid.  —  Last  movement  on  Rich- 
mond. —  Battles  of  Dinwiddie,  Five  Forks,  and  Appomattox.  —  Evac- 
uation of  Richmond.  —  Lee's  army  in  a  trap. 

In  the  last  years  of  the  war,  negro  regiments  were 
formed  and  put  into  the  field.  The  Rebel  authorities 
affected  to  look  with  holy  horror  upon  any  step  to 
arm  the  negroes,  and  threatened  to  kill  any  who  fell 
into  their  hands.  General  Butler  had  several  of  these 
negro  regiments  in  his  command.  He  was  endeavoring 
to  shorten  the  course  of  the  James  River  by  cutting 
a  canal  across  what  was  known  as  Dutch  Gap,  and  set 
his  negro  regiments  at  the  work.  Some  of  these  sol- 
diers were  captured  by  the  Confederates,  who  refused 
to  treat  them  as  regular  prisoners  of  war,  but  put  them 
at  work  on  some  fortifications  which  were  under  the 
fire  of  the  Union  guns. 

They  probably  thought  they  were  very  smart  in  so 
doing,  but  they  reckoned  without  their  host.  Butler 
had  as  prisoners  some  Rebel  officers ;  and  he  immedi- 
ately put   them   at   work  on  fortifications   which  were 


TREATMENT   OP   NEGRO   SOLDIERS.  371 

under  the  fire  of  the  Rebel  guns,  and  he  notified  Gen- 
eral Lee  that  he  would  keep  them  there  until  the  ne- 
groes were  treated  like  prisoners  of  war.  These  officers 
represented  the  aristocracy  of  the  South.  The  slave- 
owners of  the  Confederacy  and  Lee  speedily  saw  that 
they  must  be  relieved  from  their  dangerous  position. 
He  immediately  caused  the  negroes  to  be  taken  from 
the  fortifications,  and  treated  like  white  prisoners. 

Of  course  when  General  Butler  was  informed  of  this, 
he  ordered  a  like  treatment  of  the  Confederates  in  his 
hands.  Lee  took  occasion  to  write  a  long  letter  to 
Grant  concerning  the  question  of  slavery  and  State 
rights,  which  Grant  declined  to  answer,  saying  that  he 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  a  discussion  of  the 
slavery  question,  his  business  being  to  obey  his  su- 
periors, and  to  end  the  war  as  soon  as  possible. 

As  the  winter  dragged  on,  the  siege  of  Richmond 
and  Petersburg  progressed  slowly,  and  the  other  armies 
in  various  parts  of  the  field  were  doing  good  work. 
Jefferson  Davis  removed  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston 
from  the  command  of  the  Confederate  army  in  the 
west,  and  put  General  J.  B.  Hood  in  his  place.  Hood 
was  confronted  by  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi,  which 
had  steadily  pressed  south  from  Chattanooga,  driving 
the  Confederates  before  it.  Immediately  on  taking 
command,  Hood  planned  a  campaign  to  the  northward, 
intending  to  press  forward  to  the  Ohio  River,  and  pos- 


372  BOi'S'    LIFE    OF  GENERAL    GRANT. 

sibly  invade  Ohio  and  Indiana.  Hood  left  the  whole 
south  uncovered,  and  pressed  northward,  as  it  seems, 
to  his  destruction.  In  speaking  of  this  movement 
General  Grant  says  :  — 

"If  I  had  the  power  of  commanding  both  armies, 
I  should  not  have  changed  the  orders  under  which 
he  seemed  to  be  acting." 

At  Nashville,  Hood  encountered  General  Thomas ; 
and  a  battle  lasting  altogether  for  two  days  was  the 
natural  consequence.  Hood  went  no  farther  North. 
He  entered  Tennessee  with  a  magnificent  army  of 
50,000  men,  and  retreated  with  less  than  half  that 
number  of  men  in  a  very  demoralized  condition.  He 
lost  13,000  prisoners,  2,000  deserters,  72  pieces  of 
artillery,  and  most  of  his  wagon-train.  In  the  battle, 
he  lost  2,000  killed  and  wounded ;  and  among  the 
killed  were  six  major-generals,  and  other  officers  in 
proportion.  It  was  one  of  the  most  disastrous  cam- 
paigns undertaken  b}r  any  Confederate  commander. 

During  the  winter  General  Grant  visited  Wash- 
ington several  times ;  and  on  one  occasion  he  extended 
his  journey  to  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  in  both 
of  which  cities  he  received  much  attention.  While 
in  New  York,  lie  visited  General  Scott,  whose  biog- 
raphy had  just  been  published.  General  Scott  pre- 
sented him  with  a  copy  of  the  volume,  after  inscribing 
on  the  fly-leaf :  — 


GEANT    VISITS    NEW    YOIIK.  373 

"  From  the  oldest  to  the  ablest  general  in  the  world." 
As   Grant  thanked   him  for   the  present,  which   he 
said    he    would    always     cherish    with    high    honor, 
General  Scott  remarked,  — 

"That  inscription  is  not  entirely  original  with  me. 
You  may  remember  that  after  the  Revolutionary 
War,  Frederick  the  Great  sent  a  sword  to  George 
Washington,   on  which  was  inscribed :  — 

"  From  the  oldest  general  in  the  world  to  the  greatest." 

On  his  return  to  City  Point,  General  Grant  was 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  one  of  the  younger 
children ;  and  they  remained  there  until  the  surren- 
der of  Lee's  army.  Down  to  that  time,  General 
Grant  had  lived  in  a  tent;  but  during  his  absence  a 
rude  log  cabin  was  erected,  and  in  this  he  resided 
until  he  had  no  more  occasion  to  live  at   City  Point. 

The  New  Year  opened  with  a  continual  hammer- 
ing away  at  Petersburg,  and  with  raids  by  Sheridan's 
cavalry.  Sheridan  went  from  the  Shenandoah  to 
Lynchburg,  destroying  railways  and  canals  in  every 
direction,  capturing  the  Rebel  camp  at  Waynesboro, 
and  narrowly  missing  General  Early  himself  as  a 
prisoner.  He  wandered  about  Virginia  in  an  appar- 
ently aimless,  but  very  destructive,  way ;  bewilder- 
ing the  Rebels,  destroying  more  railways,  bridges, 
and  canals,  and   finally  bringing  up  at   Grant's   army. 


374  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

One  of  his  officers,  Colonel  Newhall,  in  writing  about 
this  campaign  afterwards,  said  :  — 

"  By  choosing  this  course,  he  voluntarily  forsook  his 
large  department,  and  put  himself  in  the  field  at  the 
head  of  two  cavalry  divisions,  headquarters  in  the  saddle ; 
and,  applying  for  a  new  situation,  made  no  stipulations 
for  himself,  and  no  objection  to  going  into  the  country." 

Sheridan's  men  and  horses  had  a  few  days  of  rest; 
and  then  Grant  issued  general  orders  for  a  movement 
on  the  29th  of  March.  The  following  is  an  extract 
from  his  order  to  the  various  commanders  :  — 

"  By  these  instructions  a  large  part  of  the  armies  oper- 
ating against  Richmond  is  left  behind.  The  enemy,  know- 
ing this,  may,  as  an  only  chance,  strip  their  lines  to  the 
merest  skeleton,  in  the  hope  of  advantage  not  being  taken 
of  it,  whilst  they  hurl  everything  against  the  moving 
column,  and  return.  It  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed 
upon  commanders  of  troops  left  in  the  trenches  not  to 
allow  this  to  occur  without  taking  advantage  of  it.  The 
very  fact  of  the  enemy  coming  out  to  attack,  if  he  does  so, 
might  be  regarded  as  most  conclusive  evidence  of  such  a 
weakening  of  his  lines.  I  would  have  it  particularly 
enjoined  upon  corps  commanders  that,  in  case  of  attack 
from  the  enemy,  those  not  attacked  are  not  to  wait  for 
orders  from  the  commanding  officer  of  the  army  to  which 
they  belong  ;  but  that  they  will  move  promptly,  and  notify 
the  commander  of  their  action.  I  would  also  enjoin  the 
same  action  on    the  part  of   division  commanders,  when 


ORDERS    TO    SHERIDAN.  375 

other  parts  of  their  corps  are  engaged.  In  like  manner, 
I  would  urge  the  importance  of  following  up  a  repulse  of 
the  enemy." 

Before  daylight  on  the  29th  of  March,  Meade,  Sher- 
idan, and  Ord  had  broken  camp,  and  were  moving 
forward.  The  President  was  at  City  Point,  and  break- 
fasted with  General  Grant.  After  breakfast  he  went 
with  Grant  and  his  staff  to  the  train,  and  bade  them 
good-by  as  they  started  for  the  front,  eighteen  miles 
away.  This  railway  was  constructed  by  Grant's  orders 
for  the  facilities  that  it  afforded  for  the  pushing  for- 
ward of  supplies,  siege-material,  and  troops,  in  the  in- 
trenchments  before  Petersburg  and  Richmond. 

In  the  afternoon  Sheridan  with  his  cavalry  reached 
Dinwiddie  Court  House.  The  wagon-train  failed  to 
come  up,  and  the  men  and  officers  went  to  bed  with- 
out supper.  Soon  after  dark  Sheridan  received  a  note 
from  Grant,  which  read  as  follows :  — 

"  Our  line  is  now  unbroken  from  the  Appomattox  to 
Dinwiddie.  ...  I  now  feel  like  ending  the  matter,  if  it 
is  possible  to  do  so,  before  going  back.  I  do  not  want 
you,  therefore,  to  cut  loose  and  go  after  the  enemy's  roads 
at  present.  In  the  morning  push  around  the  enemy,  if 
you  can,  and  get  on  to  his  right  rear." 

It  came  on  to  rain  during  the  night  of  the  29th, 
and   rained  all   day   on   the   30th.     The   roads  became 


376  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

so  bad  that  the  movement  of  the  army  was  next  to 
impossible.  Sheridan  advanced  his  line  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Five  Forks,  which  he  reached  on  the  morning 
of  the  31st.  Here  he  encountered  the  Rebel  cavalry, 
backed  by  a  heavy  column  of  infantry.  Warren's 
corps  came  up  to  reinforce  him ;  but  they  found  the 
force  in  front  of  them  too  strong  to  contend  with, 
and  fell  back  to  Dinwiddie  Court  House.  He  held 
his  position  there  during  that  day,  and  made  another 
move  on  the  1st  of  April.  His  plan  for  the  battle, 
which  took  place  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  was 
clearly  outlined  in  his  official  report :  — 

"I  determined  that  I  would  drive  the  enemy  with  cav- 
alry to  Five  Forks,  press  them  inside  their  works,  and 
make  a  feint  to  turn  their  right  flank ;  and  meanwhile 
quietly  move  up  the  Fifth  (Warren's)  Corps,  with  a  view 
to  attacking  their  left  flank,  crush  the  whole  force  if 
possible,  and  drive  westward  those  who  might  escape,  thus 
isolating  them  from  their  army  at  Petersburg." 

Considerable  time  was  spent  in  maneuvering  for 
position ;  and  at  four  in  the  afternoon  everything  was 
ready.  It  was  a  hard  fight,  and  a  Union  triumph. 
The  Rebels  were  taken  in  front  and  rear,  and  more 
than  five  thousand  of  them  piled  their  guns  and  sur- 
rendered. The  rest  were  cut  off  from  Lee's  army, 
and    scattered    in    every    direction,   principally    to    the 


PLANS   TO   CAPTURE   LEE.  377 

westward.  The  victory  gave  the  Union  troops  pos- 
session of  the  South-Side  Railway,  six  miles  north 
of  Five  Forks,  and  possession  also  of  that  important 
point,  which  derives  its  name  from  being  the  meeting- 
place  of  five  wagon-roads.  Only  one  railwajr,  the 
Richmond  and  Danville,  remained  to  Lee ;  and  if 
Grant  could  obtain  possession  of  that,  the  surrender 
of  Richmond  would  be  inevitable. 

General  Grant  cared  much  less  for  the  capture  of 
Richmond  than  he  did  for  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army. 
Of  course  the  possession  of  the  Rebel  capital  was  a 
matter  of  great  importance  to  all  concerned;  but  the 
escape  of  Lee  was  to  be  prevented  if  possible.  His 
army,  by  marching  westward,  could  unite  with  Joe 
Johnston's ;  and  then  the  combined  forces  of  these  two 
generals  would  seriously  endanger  the  safety  of  the 
Army  of  the  Mississippi,  which  was  then  confronting 
Johnston.  Grant's  plans  included  the  surrender  of 
Lee  along  with  the  capture  of  Richmond,  and  step 
by  step  he  was  carrying  them  out. 

At  daybreak  on  the  2d  of  April  there  was  a  general 
assault  along  the  Confederate  line  at  Petersburg  and 
Richmond  by  the  Second,  Sixth,  Ninth,  Twenty-fourth, 
and  Twenty-fifth  Corps.  The  fire  of  the  enemy  was 
destructive,  and  retarded  the  advance  at  several  points, 
but  could  not  stop  it.  The  Sixth  Corps  carried  the 
works  in  its  front ;  and  one  division  (Seymour's)  broke 


378  boys'  liee  of  general  grant. 

through  to  the  South-Side  Railway,  and  began  to  tear 
it  up.  The  Twenty-fourth  Corps  was  also  successful, 
and  so  were  the  Second  and  Ninth.  The  Ninth  had 
probably  the  hardest  fighting  of  the  day,  in  which  it 
captured  Fort  Mahone,  on  the  Jerusalem  plank-road. 
The  enemy  tried  to  take  it  back,  and  was  nearly  suc- 
cessful, when  the  Sixth  Corps  came  to  the  aid  of  the 
Ninth,  and  the  dearly  obtained  position  was  saved. 
A  Confederate  brigade  (Harris's),  which  defended  one 
of  the  forts,  was  two  hundred  and  fifty  strong  at  the 
beginning'  of  the  battle,  and  lost  two  hundred  and 
twenty  men  before  it  was  over. 

After  the  outer  line  was  taken,  and  the  troops  were 
moving  on  the  inner  line,  General  Grant  with  his  staff 
took  up  a  position  on  a  little  hill  which  overlooked 
the  field  of  operations.  The  spot  was  within  range 
of  the  enemy's  guns,  and  the  Rebels  soon  turned  one 
of  their  batteries  in  the  direction  of  the  group  of  offi- 
cers and  cavalrymen.  The  general  had  dismounted 
and  sat  down  under  a  tree,  where  he  busied  himself 
with  reading  dispatches  that  came  to  him  every  few 
minutes,  and  sending  orders  to  the  generals  who  were 
conducting  operations. 

The  fire  became  pretty  hot ;  and  several  of  the  staff, 
who  feared  the  general  might  be  killed,  suggested  to 
him  that  they  had  better  change  their  position  for 
one   of  greater  safety.     He  paid  no   attention  to  any 


RICHMOND    IN    DANGER.  379 

of  their  remarks,  and  evidently  didn't  observe  the 
cannon-shot  falling  around  him.  When  he  got  through 
with  his  dispatches,  he  stood  up  and  looked  around ; 
then  he  mounted  his  horse,  and  started  for  another 
part  of  the  field,  remarking  as  he  did  so,  — 
"  The  fellows  seem  to  have  the  range  on  us." 
Along  nearly  the  whole  line  the  outer  defenses  were 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  assailants ;  and,  though 
Lee  still  held  the  city  of  Petersburg,  he  saw  that 
his  position  was  no  longer  tenable.  Accordingly,  at 
10.80  a.m.,  he  telegraphed  as  follows  to  President 
Davis  :  — 

"  My  lines  are  broken  in  three  places.  Richmond  must 
be  evacuated  this  evening." 

Mr.  Davis  was  in  church  when  this  dispatch  was 
handed  to  him.  He  rose  and  walked  out  quietly,  and 
the  service  went  on  as  though  nothing  had  happened. 
But  there  was  a  deathly  silence  over  the  whole  con- 
gregation, and  every  one  felt  that  something  awful 
was  about  to  happen.  After  the  service  was  over 
the  news  spread  rapidly ;  and  before  noon  everybody 
who  cared  to  know  was  aware  that  Richmond  was 
about  to  be  occupied  by  the  enemy. 

There  was  great  excitement  in  the  city  all  through 
the  afternoon,  many  persons  desiring  to  go  with  the 
Confederate     Government    and    follow    its     fortunes. 


380  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Wagons  and  carriages  rose  to  an  enormous  price,  as 
much  as  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold  or  Union  cur- 
rency being  offered  for  a  conveyance  for  a  single  day. 
The  streets  were  filled  with  a  mass  of  fugitives, 
carrying  trunks,  boxes,  and  all  sorts  of  receptacles. 
As  a  precautionary  measure  the  City  Council  or- 
dered the  destruction  of  all  intoxicating  liquors  in 
Richmond;  and  hundreds  of  barrels  were  rolled  out, 
and  their  contents  poured  into  the  gutters.  General 
Ewell  ordered  the  burning  of  the  four  principal 
tobacco  warehouses  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  the 
mayor  and  council,  who  feared  that  the  whole  busi- 
ness part  of  the  city  would  be  destroyed.  As  was 
expected,  the  fire  caused  great  destruction ;  and  the 
first  work  of  the  Union  troops  that  entered  Rich- 
mond was  to  extinguish  the  flames.  The  Confederate 
gunboats  were  blown  up  and  burned ;  and  all  the 
steamers  at  the  docks  were  burned,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  single  flag-of-truce  boat. 

The  government  wagons  removed  as  much  as  pos- 
sible from  the  commissary  depot,  and  then  the  place 
was  thrown  open  to  the  public  to  help  themselves. 
Bacon,  flour,  etc.,  were  distributed  to  many  who  were 
long  in  sore  need  of  it.  As  usually  happens  in  such 
cases,  the  strong  overpowered  the  weak ;  and  it  is 
said  that  several  persons  were  trampled  to  death  in 
the  rush  that  followed  the  opening  of  the  doors. 


EVACUATING   EICHMOND.  381 

During  the  night  of  the  2d,  the  evacuation  went 
on ;  and  about  3  A.  M.  a  negro  came  from  Richmond 
into  the  Union  lines,  and  announced  that  the  Con- 
federates had  gone.  General  Weitzel  rode  in  about 
6  A.  m.  Threading  his  way  carefully  over  the  ground, 
which  was  thickly  planted  with  torpedoes,  and  ac- 
companied by  his  staff,  he  reached  the  center  of  the 
city  in  advance  of  his  troops,  and  hoisted  the  Am- 
erican flag  over  the  Capitol.  The  Confederate  works 
were  found  to  be  of  great  strength;  and  those  who 
saw  them  did  not  wonder  that  the  Union  army  had 
been  so  long  kept  at  bay,  when  they  remembered 
that  the  defenses  were  manned  by  Lee's  tried  and 
trusty  veterans. 

The  evacuation  of  Petersburg  was  simultaneous 
with  that  of  Richmond,  and  was  conducted  so  quietly 
that  the  Union  pickets,  only  a  few  yards  away,  were 
unaware  of  it  until  daylight  showed  that  the  Con- 
federates had  gone.  They  had  a  start  of  several 
miles,  marching  out  along  the  Danville  Railway,  and 
the  direct  road  to  Lynchburg,  by  which  Lee  still 
hoped  to  effect  a  junction  with  Johnston,  and  again 
take  the  offensive,  either  against  Grant  or  the  Army 
of  the  Mississippi.  Unfortunately  for  him,  he  was 
compelled  to  take  the  north  side  of  the  Appomattox, 
as  the  forces  of  Grant  were  mainly  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  and  completely  barred  his  retreat 
in   that  direction. 


382  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

With  his  army  reduced  to  less  than  thirty-five 
thousand  men,  Lee  pushed  as  rapidly  as  possible  to 
Amelia  Court  House,  where  he  had  ordered  supplies 
from  Danville.  By  a  mistake  in  the  execution  of 
the  order  these  supplies  were  sent  to  Richmond,  and 
consequently  the  wearied  and  famished  soldiers  were 
compelled  to  forage  on  the  already  exhausted  country, 
and  find  what  food  they  could.  Here  he  rested  on 
the  4th  and  5th  of  April,  and  then  prepared  to  ad- 
vance, still  hoping  to  reach  Lynchburg  before  the 
enemy  could  interfere  with  him.  But  his  plans  were 
rudely  frustrated. 

By  following  directly  after  Lee  and  engaging  him 
in  battle,  Grant  would  still  leave  an  open  way  to 
Lynchburg  in  case  of  defeat.  His  object  was  not  to 
defeat,  but  to  capture,  Lee  with  his  whole  army; 
and  with  this  object  in  view  he  sent  Sheridan  with 
the  cavalry  and  the  Fifth  Corps  to  move  as  rapidly  as 
possible  by  roads  considerably  south  of  the  one  through 
Amelia  Court  House,  and  thus  get  in  front  of  Lee 
and  intercept  his  movements.  Sheridan  executed 
the  order  with  the  dash  for  which  he  was  famous. 
He  struck  the  line  of  the  Richmond  and  Danville 
Railway  at  Jettersville,  where  he  planted  himself, 
prepared  to  resist  the  whole  of  Lee's  forces  until 
Grant  and  Meade  could  come  up  and  deliver  a  crush- 
ing  blow   in   the   rear.     Late  in  the  afternoon  of  the 


CUTTING   OFF   LEE'S   RETREAT.  383 

5th,  Meade  arrived  with  the  Second  and  Sixth  Corps, 
while  Lee  was  still  at  Amelia  Court  House,  which 
he  left  on  the  night  of  the  5th. 

Lee  marched  around  the  position  of  Meade  and 
Sheridan  at  Jetersville,  aiming  for  Farmville,  where 
he  hoped  to  cross  the  Appomattox  and  escape.  But 
General  Davies,  with  his  cavalry  brigade,  had  ad- 
vanced to  the  road  and  struck  Lee's  train  in  advance 
of  his  infantry,  destroying  one  hundred  and  eighty 
wagons  and  capturing  five  guns  and  many  prisoners. 
Two  other  cavalry  brigades  Came  to  the  relief  of 
Davies,  who  was  hard  pressed  by  the  enemy.  They 
fell  back  to  Jetersville,  where  they  continued  the  pur- 
suit the  next  day  (6th),  striking  the  enemy  at  Sailor's 
Creek,  where  a  brilliant  engagement  was  fought;  four 
hundred  wagons  were  destroyed,  and  sixteen  guns 
and  a  considerable  number  of  prisoners  were  taken. 
The  Confederate  line  was  pierced,  General  Ewell's 
division,  six  thousand  strong,  being  cut  off  from  the 
rest  and  compelled  to  surrender,  though  it  fought 
as  long  as  there  was  any  chance  of  escape. 

On  the  evening  of  the  6th,  Lee  crossed  the  Appo- 
mattox at  Farmville,  his  rear  being  so  closely  pressed 
that  he  was  unable  to  destroy  the  bridge  of  the  wagon- 
road,  though  he  succeeded  in  burning  the  railway 
bridge.  The  rear  guard  retired  just  as  General  Bar- 
low's   division    arrived,    and   so  rapid  was  the   retreat 


384  boys'1  life  of  general  grant. 

that  the  Confederates  abandoned  eighteen  guns  and 
many  wagons.  The  pursuit  was  kept  up  through  the 
7th  and  8th,  with  no  engagement  of  consequence.  The 
Second  and  Sixth  Corps  under  Meade  followed  directly 
in  the  trail  of  Lee  and  his  fugitive  companions,  while 
Sheridan's  cavalry  pushed  forward  to  head  off  Lee, 
followed  by  Ord's  and  Griffin's  infantry  divisions, 
who  could  not,  of  course,  keep  pace  with  the  horses. 
As  it  was  now  impossible  for  Lee  to  make  for  Dan- 
ville, Sheridan  took  a  position  to  head  him  off  from 
Lynchburg,  which  was  now  his  only  place  of  refuge. 
Sheridan  learned  that  four  trains,  laden  with  supplies 
for  Lee's  starving  soldiers,  had  been  sent  from  Lynch- 
burg, and  were  at  Prospect  Station,  five  miles  from 
Appomattox  Court  House.  Making  a  forced  march 
of  twenty-eight  miles,  he  captured  these  trains,  and 
then  sent  Custer's  division  forward,  which  soon  found 
itself  in  front  of  Lee's  advance. 

Custer  fought  until  darkness  put  an  end  to  the  com- 
bat, driving  the  advance  back  upon  the  main  bod}^  of 
the  army,  and  capturing  twenty-five  guns,  a  hospital 
train,  and  a  large  number  of  wagons,  and  making  many 
prisoners.  Sheridan  brought  up  the  rest  of  the  cavalry, 
and  planted  it  right  in  front  of  Lee's  army,  and  sent 
couriers  to  Grant,  Griffin,  and  Ord,  saying  that  the 
capture  of  Lee's  whole  army  was  now  certain.  Griffin 
and  Ord,  with    their   corps   and   one    division    of   the 


▲   DRAMATIC   SPECTACLE.  S85 

Twenty-fifth  Corps,  made  a  forced  march  during  the 
night,  and  reached  Appomattox  at  daylight  on  the  9th. 

And  now  came  one  of  the  most  dramatic  incidents 
of  the  war,  an  incident  that  dwarfs  to  littleness  the 
most  magnificent  spectacle  ever  presented  on  the 
theatrical  stage. 

On  the  morning  of  that  memorable  9th  of  April, 
Lee's  army  of  ragged,  starved,  wearied  soldiers  was 
drawn  up  in  battle  array  in  front  of  Sheridan's  cavalry. 
Their  ranks  had  been  terribly  reduced  by  the  events 
of  the  past  ten  days,  and  out  of  the  fifty  thousand  that 
held  the  trenches  at  Petersburg  and  Richmond  on  the 
28th  of  March,  little  more  than  ten  thousand  remained 
actually  effective  for  battle.  But  though  few  in  num- 
ber, worn,  weary,  and  suffering  from  the  pangs  of 
hunger,  they  were  ready  to  meet  their  adversaries, 
and  prepared  without  flinching  to  charge  upon  Sheri- 
dan's troopers.  It  was  the  last  charge  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia. 

By  Sheridan's  order  the  cavalry  in  line  of  battle 
dismounted  and  gave  way  gradually,  though  all  the 
while  showing  a  steady  front,  in  order  to  give  time 
for  the  wearied  infantry  of  Ord's  and  Griffin's  corps 
to  take  up  their  position.  When  this  had  been  ac- 
complished, the  cavalry  remounted  and  moved  rapidly 
to  the  right,  in  order  to  come  in  upon  the  Confederate 
left  for  a  flanking  charge.     As  the  cavalry  thus  drew 


386  BOYS     LIFE   OF   GENERAL  GRANT. 

away  from  its  former  position,  the  Confederate  com- 
mander saw,  to  his  astonishment,  the  long  and  solid 
lines  of  the  Union  infantry,  lines  of  blue  tipped  with 
the  steel  of  flashing  bayonets,  and  stippled  at  intervals 
with  the  muzzles  of  cannon,  with  the  artillerymen 
in  their  places  ready  for  their  death-dealing  work. 

The  hopelessness  of  the  charge  was  apparent  to  every 
Confederate  officer  who  saw  that  mass  of  infantry 
waiting  for  the  assault.  The  advance  was  stopped ; 
and  in  a  few  minutes  a  white  flag  was  displayed  in 
front  of  General  Custer,  who  was  leading  Sheridan's 
cavalry  column,  and  preparing  for  a  charge  upon  the 
Confederate  left.  With  the  white  flag  came  the  infor- 
mation that  the  Confederates  were  ready  to  surrender. 
General  Sheridan  immediately  rode  over  towards  the 
Confederate  lines,  where  he  was  met  by  General 
Gordon,  who  asked  that  hostilities  be  suspended.  He 
added  that  Generals  Grant  and  Lee  were  already  nego- 
tiating for  a  capitulation,  and  said  he  had  no  doubt 
that  the  terms  would  be  speedily  arranged. 

The  capitulation  had  been  discussed  among  the 
Confederate  officers  around  a  camp-fire  On  the  night 
of  the  6th.  General  Lee  was  not  present,  but  the 
opinion  of  his  officers  was  conveyed  to  him  by  General 
Pendleton.  The  decision  was  unanimous  that  a  sur- 
render was  inevitable,  as  the  army  had  been  terribly 
reduced  in  numbers,  and  the  men  who  remained  were 


SURRENDER   INEVITABLE.  387 

so  weakened  by  famine  that  large  numbers  of  them 
had  thrown  away  their  guns,  being  too  feeble  to  carry 
them.  Even  if  they  could  escape  from  their  pursuers, 
they  could  only  do  so  by  abandoning  all  their  artillery 
and  heavy  munitions,  and  they  had  already  lost  a  large 
part  of  their  wagon-train. 


388  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Lee's  surrender.  —  How  it  was  brought  about.  —  Terms  of  the  agreement. 

—  Johnston's  surrender.  —  President  Lincoln's  visit  to  Richmond.  — 
Reception  by  the  negroes.  —  How  New  York  received  the  great  news. 

—  Lincoln's  return  to  Washington.  —  Grant's  return.  —  Assassination 
of  the  President.  —  How  Grant  escaped.  —  The  President's  dream.  — 
Anger  of  the  North.  — The  French  in  Mexico.  —  How  they  were  driven 
out. 

On  the  7th,  General  Grant  took  the  initiative,  and 
thus  saved  Lee  the  mortification  of  proposing  a  sur- 
render.    He  wrote  a  letter  couched  in  the  following 

language : — 

April  7,  1865. 

General,  —  The  result  of  last  week  must  convince  you 
of  the  hopelessness  of  further  resistance  on  the  part  of 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  in  this  struggle.  I  feel 
that  it  is  so  ;  and  regard  it  as  my  duty  to  shift  from 
myself  the  responsibility  of  any  further  effusion  of  blood 
by  asking  of  you  the  surrender  of  that  portion  of  the 
Confederate  States  forces  known  as  the  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 

Lieut.-Oen. 

Gen.  R.  E.  Lee. 

General  Lee  received  the  letter  late  in  the  afternoon, 
and    replied    briefly,   asking    the    terms    of    surrender, 


NEGOTIATIONS.  389 

though  not  admitting  the  hopelessness  of  the  further 
struggle.  Grant  replied  on  the  8th  to  the  effect  that 
the  only  terms  he  could  accept  were  unconditional 
surrender,  the  men  and  officers  surrendered  being  dis- 
qualified from  taking  up  arms  until  properly  exchanged. 
Lee  responded  on  the  same  evening,  saying  that  he 
did  not  think  that  the  emergency  had  arisen  for  the 
surrender  of  the  army,  that  he  did  not  intend  to 
propose  it,  but  only  wished  to  know  the  terms  that 
would  be  demanded.  He  declined  meeting  General 
Grant  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating  a  surrender, 
but  expressed  a  wish  to  meet  him  with  a  view  to  the 
restoration  of  peace. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  General  Grant  wrote 
again  to  General  Lee  to  the  effect  that  he  had  no 
authority  to  treat  for  peace,  and  the  proposed  meeting 
would  therefore  do  no  good.  He  added  that  the  terms 
on  which  peace  could  be  obtained  were  well  under- 
stood ;  that  the  South  must  lay  down  its  arms,  and  by 
so  doing  would  save  thousands  of  human  lives  and 
hundreds  of  millions  of  property  not  yet  destroyed. 

Immediately  after  the  stoppage  of  the  last  charge  of 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  in  the  manner  previ- 
ously described,  General  Grant  rode  to  Sheridan's  head- 
quarters, and  while  on  his  way  there  received  a  note 
from  General  Lee,  asking  for  an  interview  with  refer- 
ence to    the    surrender  of   the  army.     Hostilities  had 


390  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

been  suspended,  and  the  interview  of  the  two  com- 
manders took  place  in  half  an  hour  after  the  receipt  of 
the  note. 

It  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  W.  McLean,  near 
the  court-house  of  Appomattox,  and  was  over  in  a 
short  time,  as  the  business  was  easily  arranged.  Offi- 
cers and  men  were  paroled  not  to  take  up  arms  again 
until  properly  exchanged,  all  public  property,  arms, 
and  artillery  to  be  parked  and  stacked,  and  turned 
over  to  the  officers  appointed  to  receive  them.  The 
officers  were  allowed  to  retain  their  side-arms,  horses, 
and  personal  baggage  ;  and  though  not  mentioned  in 
the  official  documents,  General  Grant  afterwards  per- 
mitted the  cavalry  and  artillery  soldiers  to  retain 
their  horses,  remarking,  as  a  reason  for  his  leniency, 
that  they  would  "be  useful  in  putting  in  a  crop." 
Twenty-seven  thousand  men  were  said  to  have  been 
included  in  Lee's  capitulation,  but  not  more  than  ten 
thousand  were  actually  in  line  of  battle  with  their 
arms  on  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  April. 

The  victory  at  Five  Forks  was  the  prelude  to  the 
surrender  at  Appomattox,  and  that  surrender  was 
practically  the  end  of  the  war.  One  after  another 
the  remaining  armies  of  the  Confederates  submitted 
to  the  fortune  of  war  and  laid  down  their  arms,  and 
in  every  instance  the  terms  accorded  were  almost  iden- 
tical with  those  arranged  between  Grant  and  Lee.     No 


LAST  BATTLE  OF  THE   WAR.  391 

great  battle  was  fought  after  Lee's  surrender;  and  of 
the  few  collisions  that  occurred  before  the  wings  of 
peace  were  outstretched  all  over  the  whole  country, 
there  were  none  of  consequence.  The  last  battle  of 
the  war  was  fought  in  Texas,  May  13,  resulting  in 
a  loss  of  about  thirty  killed  and  wounded  on  the  Union 
side,  some  forty  or  fifty  taken  prisoners,  and  four  or 
five  wounded  on  the  Confederate  side. 

The  number  of  men  paroled  in  the  Confederate  ar- 
mies, at  the  close  of  the  war,  was  174,223,  and  at  the 
same  time  98,802  Confederate  prisoners  of  war  were 
held  in  Northern  prisons  or  depots.  The  aggregate 
Union  force  on  the  muster-rolls  of  the  Union  armies 
on  March  1,  1865,  was  965,591,  and  on  the  1st  of  May 
the  number  exceeded  1,000,000.  On  that  date  all 
enlistments  were  suspended,  and  shortly  afterwards 
the  work  of  disbanding  the  army  began.  By  the  end 
of  November  more  than  800,000  men  had  been  mus- 
tered out  of  the  service,  and  returned  to  the  occupa- 
tions of  civil  life.  The  sudden  termination  of  the  war 
was  unexpected  by  the  great  mass  of  the  public  on 
both  sides,  though  to  the  thoughtful  leaders  who 
knew  the  conditions  against  which  they  were  contend- 
ing, the  result  was  apparent  months  and  months  before. 

President  Lincoln  came  to  City  Point  a  day  or  two 
before  the  final  movement  against  Richmond  and  Lee's 
army.     On  the  morning  of  the  evacuation  of  Peters- 


392  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

burg  he  went  to  the  front  by  train,  and  there  met  Gen- 
eral Grant,  their  interview  lasting  but  a  few  minutes, 
as  neither  had  much  time  to  spare.  General  Grant 
hurried  away  to  meet  Sheridan,  while  Mr.  Lincoln 
returned  to  City  Point,  and  proceeded  to  Richmond  in 
a  rowboat,  accompanied  by  Admirals  Farragut  and 
Porter.  He  had  appeared  worn  and  anxious  for  sev- 
eral months,  owing  to  the  many  disappointments  he 
had  suffered  in  consequence  of  the  failure  to  take  Rich- 
mond ;  but  now  his  face  was  lighted  up  with  joy,  and 
he  seemed  to  possess  the  vigor  and  enthusiasm  of  a 
young  man  of  twenty.  The  negroes  in  Richmond 
gathered  about  him,  and  hailed  him  as  their  deliverer 
from  bondage.  They  grasped  his  hands  whenever  it 
was  possible  to  do  so,  and  hundreds  of  them  kissed  the 
ground  on  which  he  walked.  They  gave  cheer  upon 
cheer  for  their  friend  and  savior,  and  their  admiration 
and  devotion  brought  tears  to  his  eyes.  The  President 
lifted  his  hat,  and  bowed  to  the  assembled  multitude ;  — 
what  President  of  the  United  States  had  ever  before 
bared  his  head  to  an  assemblage  of  negroes  ? 

He  visited  the  Presidential  mansion  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, where  only  two  days  before  Jefferson  Davis  had 
presided  at  a  reception.  He  wanted  to  see  Libby 
Prison,  where  so  many  thousands  of  Union  soldiers  had 
suffered  in  captivity.  When  he  went  through  it  the 
tables  had  been  turned ;  there  were  no  Union  prisoners 


REJOICINGS   IN   THE   NORTH.  393 

there,  and  the  place  they  had  so  long  occupied  was 
now  filled  with  Confederate  prisoners  of  war. 

While  he  was  making  his  visit  to  Richmond  the 
telegraph  was  flashing  the  news  all  over  the  North  of 
the  capture  of  that  city.  Wild  as  had  been  the  scenes 
when  the  victories  of  Donelson,  Vicksburg,  Gettys- 
burg, and  Chattanooga  became  known,  wilder  yet 
were  the  scenes  that  followed  the  knowledge  of  the 
fall  of  Richmond.  In  the  general  excitement,  business 
was  almost  entirely  suspended ;  streets  and  houses  were 
covered  with  flags ;  friends  and  acquaintances,  and 
even  men  unknown  to  each  other,  shook  hands  and 
embraced  like  brothers  after  a  separation  of  twenty 
years.  On  the  Stock  Exchange  of  New  York,  on  the 
Produce  Exchange,  and  in  other  places  where  business 
men  assembled,  the  object  of  their  assemblage  was  for- 
gotten for  the  time.  They  joined  hands  and  sang,  not 
always  tunefully,  but  in  great  volumes  of  sound,  the 
words  of  "Old  Hundred,"  "The  Battle  Cry  of  Free- 
dom," and  the  "Star  Spangled  Banner,"  and  perhaps 
louder  than  in  other  melodies  their  voices  rose  in  uni- 
son in  that  well-known  refrain  :  — 

"  John  Brown's  body  lies  moldering  in  the  grave, 
But  his  soul  goes  marching  on." 

Everybody  realized  that  the  end  of  the  war  was  at 
hand.     The   fall    of   Richmond   meant   the  fall  of  the 


394  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Confederacy,  and  the  fall  of  the  Confederacy  was  the 
guaranty  of  peace. 

President  Lincoln  remained  at  City  Point  until  after 
the  surrender  of  Lee,  and 'then  returned  to  Washington. 
After  the  terms  of  the  surrender  were  settled,  General 
Grant  returned  to  City  Point,  briefly  stopping  at  Rich- 
mond and  Petersburg  on  the  way.  On  the  morning  of 
the  13th  he  arrived  in  Washington,  and  was  actively 
engaged  during  the  whole  day.  A  few  hours  after  his 
arrival,  the  War  Department  issued  a  general  order  that 
all  drafting  of  recruits  should  be  stopped  immediately, 
together  with  all  purchases  of  ammunition,  provisions, 
and  war  material  in  general. 

He  was  thoroughly  satisfied  with  what  he  had  accom- 
plished ;  and  this  was  evident  in  his  official  report  of  the 
surrender  of  Lee,  and  the  events  that  immediately  pre- 
ceded it.  The  closing  paragraph  of  his  report  is  an 
excellent  illustration  of  his   magnanimous  character. 

"  It  has  been  my  fortune  to  see  the  armies  of  both  the 
West  and  the  East  fight  battles  ;  and  from  what  I  have  seen 
I  know  there  is  no  difference  in  their  fighting  qualities. 
All  that  is  possible  for  men  to  do  in  battle  they  have  done. 
The  Western  armies  commenced  their  battles  in  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley,  and  received  the  final  surrender  of  the  prin- 
cipal army  opposed  to  them  in  North  Carolina.  The 
armies  of  the  East  commenced  their  battles  on  the  river 
from  which  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  derived  its  name, 


WASHINGTON    ILLUMINATED.  395 

and  received  the  final  surrender  of  their  old  antagonist 
at  Appomattox  Court  House,  Va.  The  splendid  achieve- 
ments of  each  have  nationalized  our  victories,  removed  all 
sectional  jealousies  (of  which  we  have,  unfortunately,  ex- 
perienced too  much),  and  the  cause  of  crimination  or  re- 
crimination that  might  have  followed  had  either  section 
failed  in  its  duty. 

"  All  have  a  proud  record ;  and  all  sections  can  congratu- 
late themselves  and  each  other  for  having  done  their  full 
share  in  restoring  the  supremacy  of  law  over  every  foot  of 
territory  belonging  to  the  United  States.  Let  them  hope 
for  perpetual  peace  and  harmony  with  that  enemy,  whose 
manhood,  however  mistaken  the  cause,  drew  forth  such 
Herculean  deeds  of  valor." 

There  was  a  grand  illumination  of  the  public  build- 
ings of  Washington  on  the  evening  of  the  13th  of 
April.  An  immense  crowd  flooded  the  streets,  and 
there  were  impromptu  public  meetings  and  speeches 
in  a  dozen  places  at  once.  At  the  request  of  the 
President,  General  Grant  drove  out  with  Mrs.  Lincoln 
to  look  at  the  illuminations.  As  they  went  along, 
there  was  a  continuous  peal  of  cheering  for  General 
Grant  and  Mr.  Lincoln.  Whenever  the  carriage  came 
in  the  vicinity  of  any  of  the  public  meetings  just  men- 
tioned, the  crowd  gave  a  rousing  three  times  three  for 
the  General  and  for  the  President.  Never  before  had 
such  enthusiasm  been  witnessed  in  the  national  capital : 
and  the  people  everywhere  had  but  one  sentiment  to 
express. 


396  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

The  next  day  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  cabinet,  and 
all  the  members  remarked  that  they  had  never  seen  the 
President  in  such  good  spirits.  By  special  invitation 
General  Grant  attended  the  meeting,  and  the  time  was 
principally  devoted  to  a  discussion  of  the  reconstruction 
measures  which  must  follow  the  end  of  the  war.  Mr. 
Lincoln  remarked  that  before  every  great  event  of  the 
war  he  had  had  a  curious  dream.  "  I  dreamt  that  I 
saw  a  ship  sailing  very  rapidly ;  and  that  dream  always 
precedes  some  very  important  event." 

Before  the  meeting  broke  up,  the  President  said  that 
he  was  going  to  the  theater  that  night  with, Mrs.  Lin- 
coln to  witness  the  performance  of  "Our  American 
Cousin."  Mrs.  Lincoln  wanted  to  go,  and  he  had 
agreed  to  accompany  her.  He  further  said  that  Mrs. 
Lincoln  told  him  to  invite  General  and  Mrs.  Grant  to 
go  with  them,  as  there  would  be  room  enough  in  the 
box  for  all.  General  Grant  excused  himself  by  saying 
that  he  and  his  wife  were  to  leave  that  night  for  Bur- 
lington, N.  J.,  where  some  of  his  children  were  at 
school. 

The  general  was  busy  all  that  day  at  the  war  de- 
partment, and  got  around  to  the  hotel  just  in  time  to 
eat  a  hasty  dinner  and  catch  the  train  for  the  north ; 
Mrs.  Grant  having  already  packed  their  trunks,  and 
sent  them  to  the  railway  station. 

When  the   time   came  for  the  party  to  go   to   tbe 


DEATH   OF   LINCOLN.  397 

theater,  Mr.  Lincoln  wanted  to  remain  at  home :  but 
the  newspapers  had  announced  that  both  he  and 
Grant  would  be  present;  and  as  he  was  unwilling  to 
disappoint  the  public,  he  went  to  see  the  play. 

The  party  arrived  after  the  performance  began,  and 
of  course  its  arrival  caused  some  commotion  in  the 
theater.  This  quickly  subsided,  and  the  play  went 
on.  About  half-past  ten  o'clock,  while  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  resting  his  chin  upon  his  hand,  and  his  elbow 
upon  the  front  of  the  box,  John  Wilkes  Booth,  one 
of  the  famous  dramatic  family  of  that  name,  came 
into  the  box,  placed  the  muzzle  of  a  revolver  at  the 
back  of  the  President's  head,  and  fired.  The  bullet 
entered  the  brain  of  the  victim;  and  although  Mr. 
Lincoln  lived  for  nine  hours,  he  displayed  no  con- 
sciousness, and  seemed  to  suffer  no  pain  whatever. 
He  was  carried  to  a  neighboring  house,  where  he  lin- 
gered until  the  next  morning,  when  he  died,  sur- 
rounded by  all  of  the  officers  of  his  cabinet  who  were 
able  to  be  with  him,  and  several  other  of  his  inti- 
mate friends. 

The  investigation  which  followed  showed  that  a 
plot  had  been  formed  to  murder  the  President,  Secre- 
tary Seward,  General  Grant,  the  Vice-president,  and 
other  men  prominent  in  national  affairs. 

Almost  at  the  moment  when  the  President  was 
shot,  an  assassin  named  Payne  entered  the  room  where 


398  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

Mr.  Seward  was  lying  in  bed  in  consequence  of  in- 
juries received  in  a  carriage  accident  a  few  days 
before.  Mr.  Seward's  son  endeavored  to  stop  him, 
and  narrowly  escaped  being  killed.  Twice  the  assas- 
sin snapped  a  pistol  at  him,  and  then  threw  him  to 
the  floor  with  such  violence  as  to  break  his  skuli. 
Then,  with  a  dagger,  he  struck  three  times  at  the  sec- 
retary's throat,  wounding  him  frightfully.  Doubtless 
he  would  have  succeeded  in  his  attempt  at  murder 
had  not  Mr.  Seward  rolled  out  of  bed  on  the  other 
side.  Payne  then  fled  from  the  house,  stabbing  on 
his  way  an  attendant  and  two  other  men  who  tried 
to  intercept  him. 

General  Grant  escaped  assassination,  or  an  attempt 
at  it,  by  his  unexpected  departure  from  the  city.  He 
received  news  of  the  occurrence  after  passing  through 
Philadelphia.  He  continued  with  his  wife  to  Burling- 
ton, and  immediately  returned  to  Washington. 

All  over  the  North  the  rejoicings  over  the  capture 
of  Richmond  and  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army  were 
changed  to  mourning  for  the  death  of  the  President; 
and  the  grief  was  intensified  in  consequence  of  the 
terribly  tragic  manner  of  his  death.  The  next  morn- 
ing the  newspapers  all  appeared  in  mourning  ;  business 
was  suspended  as  though  it  were  Sunday  ;  and  in  a 
few  hours  all  the  great  cities  were  draped  in  the 
habiliments  of  sorrow.     Strong  men  as  they  met  each 


A  LAND   OF   MOURNING.  399 

other  shook  hands  without  a  word,  and  passed  on. 
Their  hearts  were  too  full  for  utterance,  and  their  grief 
overpowered  them.  Never  was  such  a  scene  of  sor- 
row witnessed  in  the  country;  never  were  so  many 
tears  shed  for  a  man  who  was  not  personally  known 
to  those  who  wept ;  never  since  the  death  of  General 
Washington  did  the  American  public  find  their  hearts 
so  touched  by  the  loss  of  a  great  man  as  when  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  assassinated.  There  had  been  differences 
of  opinion  concerning  his  policy,  but  no  one  doubted 
his  honesty  of  purpose  in  everything  that  he  had  done 
or  tried  to  do  for  the  nation.  Rich  and  poor  alike 
revered  him ;  and  especially  was  he  beloved  by  the 
humbler  class  of  people.  The  badges  of  mourning 
were  as  abundant  in  the  tenements  of  the  squalid 
parts  of  the  great  cities  as  in  the  fashionable  quarters, 
in  the  log  cabins  of  the  prairie  as  in  the  mansions 
of  the  rich. 

Most  sincerely  was  he  mourned  by  the  race  of 
people  he  had  liberated  from  slavery,  —  the  toiling  mil- 
lions whom  he  had  made  free.  Anions"  the  negro 
race,  lamentations  over  the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln  were 
long  and  loud.  Negro  lips  everywhere  uttered  pray- 
ers to  God  in  his  behalf;  and  to  this  day,  among 
the  colored  race  the  world  over,  the  name  of  Lincoln 
is  revered  and  cherished. 

Before  Mr.  Lincoln's  death  many  people  in  the  North 


400  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

had  grown  impatient  over  his  leniency  to  the  Rebels,  in 
view  of  the  sufferings  which  the  Union  soldiers  had 
endured  in  Southern  prisons.  After  his  assassination 
there  was  a  wide-spread  demand  for  more  severe  treat- 
ment, and  also  that  the  Rebels  yet  in  arms  should 
receive  terms  less  favorable  than  had  been  accorded 
to  Lee.  Of  course  the  public  could  not  always  un- 
derstand matters  of  policy.  Grant's  terms  to  Lee 
had  been  liberal,  partly  from  feeling  and  partly  from 
policy.  He  wanted  to  end  the  bloodshed  as  quickly 
as  possible,  and,  with  a  soldier's  instinct,  did  not  wish 
to  humiliate  men  who  had  fought  so  bravely  for  what 
they  believed  to  be  right.  On  the  side  of  policy  he 
made  his  terms  liberal,  knowing  that,  if  Lee  refused 
them,  he  would  be  unable  to  keep  his  men  together 
when  they  knew  what  had  been  offered,  while,  if  Lee 
accepted  them,  Johnston's  men  would  demand  the 
same  terms.  But  after  the  tragic  event  of  the  14th 
of  April,  the  great  mass  of  people  at  the  North  com- 
plained of  the  liberality  which  had  been  shown,  and 
were  clamorous  that  some  of  the  leading  Rebels  should 
be  hanged,  "  to  encourage  the  others." 

Johnston's  army  surrendered  on  the  same  terms  that 
had  been  accorded  to  Lee;  and  very  speedily  peace  had 
spread  her  wings  all  over  the  country  —  no,  not  en- 
tirely over  the  country,  as  there  was  a  war-cloud 
hanging  over  our  south-western  horizon. 


THE   FRENCH    IN   MEXICO.  401 

While  the  Civil  War  was  in  progress,  England, 
France,  and  Spain  had  interfered  in  Mexico  on  the 
pretense  of  collecting  debts  that  were  due  to  subjects 
of  those  countries.  All  three  sent  expeditions  to 
Mexico ;  but  England  and  Spain  shortly  withdrew, 
leaving  France  in  possession.  Napoleon  III.,  then 
Emperor  of  France,  determined  to  set  up  an  Empire 
in  Mexico ;  and  induced  Maximilian  I.,  brother  of  the 
Emperor  of  Austria,  to  accept  the  crown.  It  was  uni- 
versally believed  that  nothing  of  the  kind  would  have 
been  attempted,  had  not  the  United  States  been  in 
trouble  over  its  home  affairs.  The  establishment  of 
an  empire  in  Mexico  was  not  in  accordance  with  Amer- 
ican ideas.  General  Grant  proceeded  to  act  in  this 
matter  as  soon  as  the  Rebellion  was  brought  to  an 
end.  He  induced  the  government  to  concentrate  sixty 
thousand  troops  on  the  western  borders  of  Texas, 
under  the  command  of  General  Sheridan,  and  having 
done  this,  make  a  very  plain  intimation  to  Napoleon 
III.  that  the  sooner  he  got  his  troops  out  of  Mexico 
the  better  it  would  be  for  him  and  for  them. 

Louis  Napoleon  staid  not  upon  the  order  of  his 
going,  but  went.  In  spite  of  the  pleadings  of  Maxi- 
milian and  his  wife,  Carlotta,  he  agreed  to  withdraw 
all  his  soldiers  from  Mexico  before  November,  1867. 
The  Empress  Carlotta  went  to  France  to  solicit  in 
person    the   withdrawal    of    this    agreement,    but    her 


•402  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

pleadings  were  vain.  Shortly  after  the  denial  of  her 
appeal  by  the  French  emperor  she  became  a  hopeless 
lunatic.  The  French  troops  were  withdrawn  from 
Mexico,  Maximilian  was  captured,  and,  with  two  Mex- 
ican generals  who  adhered  to  his  cause,  was  shot,  after 
trial,  on  the  19th  of  June,  1867.  President  Juarez  was 
soon  once  more  in  the  presidential  chair  in  the  capital 
of  Mexico,  and  from  that  time  on  comparative  peace 
has  reigned  throughout  the  country. 


grant's  trip  to  the  west.  403 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Grant  makes  a  tour  through  the  Northern  States.  —  Revisits  Galena.  — 
Citizens  give  him  a  house.  —  The  new  sidewalk.  —  Goes  to  Missouri 
and  Ohio.  —  Visits  the  South.  —  Secretary  of  War  ad  interim.  —  Im 
peachrnent  of  Andrew  Johnson.  —  Nominated  for  the  presidency. — 
Elected.—  His  administration.—  Re-elected.  —  Retirement.  —  Journey 
around  the  world.  —  In  Cuba  and  Mexico.  —  Bankruptcy.—  Writing 
his  memoirs.  —  Disease.  —  Death. 

In  the  June  following  the  surrender  of  Lee,  General 
Grant  made  a  trip  through  the  Northern  States,  his 
main  object  being  the  fulfillment  of  a  promise  to  at- 
tend a  grand  fair  in  Chicago,  which  was  given  for  the 
benefit  of  disabled  soldiers  and  their  families.  As  a 
matter  of  course,  he  met  a  magnificent  reception  every- 
where he  went.  In  July  he  went  to  Saratoga,  and 
from  there  to  Boston,  and  thence  made  a  tour  through 
Maine  and  Canada,  with  his  face  turned  towards  his 
old  home  in  Galena.  Needless  to  say,  one  of  the 
warmest  receptions  he  received  was  in  the  place 
whence,  four  years  before,  he  started  for  the  war. 

The  streets  were  thronged  in  every  direction,  and  so 
densely  that  it  was  difficult  to  pass  through  the  crowds. 
Magnificent  arches  spanned  the  streets  ;  and  he  was 
driven  in  a  carriage,  with  the  mayor,  to  the  house 
which  the  city  had  bought  and  presented  to  him,  at  a 


404  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

cost  of  sixteen  thousand  dollars.  As  they  passed  in 
front  of  the  house,  the  mayor  placed  in  his  hands  the 
title-deeds  to  the  property,  and  called  his  attention  to 
the  sidewalk,  which  extended  from  the  house  to  the 
railway  station.  As  stated  elsewhere  in  this  volume, 
an  arch  across  the  street  bore  the  announcement  that 
the  sidewalk  had  been  built.  Other  houses  in  Wash- 
ington and  in  Philadelphia  were  shortly  afterwards 
presented  to  him,  so  that  the  general  was  well  sup- 
plied with  residences. 

Grant  and  his  family  remained  in  their  new  house 
in  Galena  until  September ;  and  after  visiting  St.  Louis 
he  went  to  his  native  State,  and  revisited  the  scenes  of 
his  boyhood.  He  reached  Washington  in  October,  and 
late  in  November  started  to  make  a  tour  of  the  South- 
ern States,  to  examine  the  military  forces  and  the 
Freedmen's  Bureau,  and  ascertain  the  feeling  of  the 
Southern  people.  After  he  returned  from  this  tour, 
the  House  of  Representatives  passed  a  bill  reviving 
the  grade  of  General  of  the  Army  of  the  United  States, 
which  had  never  been  held  by  any  one  except  Wash- 
ington. The  intention  was  to  make  it  a  special  rank  for 
General  Grant,  and  for  nobody  else.  A  clause  in  the  bill 
set  forth  this  object  distinctly  in  the  following  words :  — 

"  Whenever  any  General  shall  have  been  appointed  and 
commissioned  under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  if  there- 


JOHNSON   IMPEACHED.  405 

after  the  office  shall  become  vacant,  this  act  shall  thereupon 
expire  and  remain  no  longer  in  force." 

The  Senate  immediately  approved  the  measure,  and 
it  was  signed  by  President  Johnson.  General  Grant 
was  appointed,  and  the  title  expired  when  he  became 
President.  It  was  renewed  by  Act  of  Congress  a  few 
months  prior  to  his  death. 

Andrew  Johnson,  who  became  President  after  Mr. 
Lincoln's  death,  had  all  along  breathed  the  most  bitter 
sentiments  of  hostility  toward  the  Rebels  and  all 
who  favored  their  ca,use.  It  was  universally  felt  and 
believed  that,  under  his  administration,  they  would  be 
treated  with  great  severity ;  but  hardly  had  he  come 
into  power  before  he  changed  his  tone  completely,  and 
from  a  violent  antagonist  of  the  Rebels  he  became 
their  warm  supporter  and  friend.  Naturally  this  made 
a  breach  between  him  and  the  loyal  friends  of  the 
Government.  So  wide  grew  the  breach  between  them 
that  he  was  impeached,  and  tried  for  treason. 

Impeachment  failed,  and  during  the  rest  of  his  term 
there  was  a  condition  of  hostility  between  the  Presi- 
dent and  Congress  and  nearly  all  other  loyal  men  of 
the  administration.  The  quarrel  included  Secretary 
Stanton  and  General  Grant ;  the  President  suspended 
Secretary  Stanton,  and  put  General  Grant  in  his  place 
ad  interim.     Congress  had  .passed  a  law  prohibiting  the 


406  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

removal  of  an  officer  against  his  will  without  consent 
of  the  Senate,  but  Johnson  found  a  way  of  getting 
around  this  restriction  by  suspending  him  from  duty. 
Previous  to  this,  Grant  had  written  a  very  earnest 
letter  to  the  President  (marking  it  private),  protesting 
against  any  change  being  made.  When  Grant  accepted 
the  office  ad  interim,  he  was  bitterly  denounced  as 
being  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  Johnson.  Later  on,  when 
his  private  letter  to  the  President  was  published,  the 
same  papers  commended  his  wise  discretion  and  reti- 
cence. He  took  the  office  very  unwillingly,  but  while 
he  held  it  he  performed  very  efficient  work.  In  a  few 
months  he  surrendered  the  place  to  Stanton,  and  said 
to  a  friend  that  he  proposed  to  take  a  rest  for  a 
while.  He  did  as  he  said  he  would,  visiting  various 
parts  of  the  country,  but  spending  a  good  portion  of 
his  time  in  Washington. 

The  National  Republican  Party  to  nominate  a  can- 
didate for  the  presidency  met  in  Chicago  on  the 
19th  of  May,  1868.  There  were  six  hundred  and  fifty 
delegates  from  all  the  States  of  the  Union  in  attend- 
ance at  that  convention ;  and  when  the  roll  of  States 
was  called  for  the  choice  of  the  delegates  as  the 
next  president,  six  hundred  and  fifty  votes  were 
cast  for  Grant.  The  wildest  enthusiasm  prevailed  at 
the  announcement  of  the  vote ;  hats  and  handkerchiefs 
were  waved   in   air,   and   the    building   in   which   the 


"  WATCH   HIM  !  "  407 

convention  was  held  resounded  with  cheers  prolonged 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes. 

One  enthusiastic  member  on  the  front  of  the  plat- 
form manifested  his  delight  by  opening  and  waving 
an  umbrella.  The  historic  eagle  of  the  Eighth  Wis- 
consin Infantry  was  present,  and  joined  in  the  tumult 
of  delight;  and  it  was  fully  half  an  hour  before  the 
noise  was  brought  to  an  end,  and  the  convention 
again  settled  down  to  business.  As  the  vote  was 
announced,  a  curtain  was  let  down  in  the  rear  of 
the  stage,  showing  a  painting  of  the  White  House 
with  two  pedestals  in  front.  One  of  them  with 
Grant's  statue  upon  it  was  labeled :  "  Republican 
Nominee  of  the  Chicago  Convention.  May  20,  1868." 
The  other  pedestal  was  vacant,  and  bore  the  label : 
"Democratic  Nominee,  New  York  Convention.  July 
4,  1868." 

The  Goddess  of  Liberty  stood  between  the  two 
pedestals,  pointing  a  hand  towards  each  of  them, 
while  above  her  was  the   motto:    "MATCH   HIM!" 

By  some  mistake,  either  of  the  telegraph  or  the 
printer,  one  of  the  principal  New  York  papers  printed 
the  next  morning  the  motto  thus:  "WATCH  HIM!" 

This  led  to  great  wonderment  on  the  part  of  all 
its  readers,  and  afterwards,  when  the  error  was  cor- 
rected, to  their  great  amusement. 

A   few   days   later   a   committee  of   the  convention 


408  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

waited  on  General  Grant  to  notify  him  of  his  nom- 
ination. In  response  to  its  chairman,  General  Haw- 
ley,  he  replied  with  the  longest  speech  he  had  ever 
made  in  his  life.     Here  it  is :  — 

"Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  National  Union 
Convention,  —  I  will  endeavor  in  a  very  short  time  to 
write  you  a  letter  accepting  the  trust  you  have  imposed 
upon  me.  Expressing  my  gratitude  for  the  confidence  you 
have  placed  in  me,  I  will  now  say  but  little  orally; 
and  that  is  to  thank  you  for  the  unanimity  with  which 
you  have  selected  me  as  a  candidate  for  the  presiden- 
tial office.  I  can  say,  in  addition,  I  looked  on  during 
the  progress  of  the  proceedings  at  Chicago  with  a  great 
deal  of  interest,  and  am  gratified  with  the  harmony  and 
unanimity  which  seem  to  have  governed  the  delibera- 
tions of  the  convention.  If  chosen  to  fill  the  high 
office  for  which  you  have  selected  me,  I  will  give  to 
its  duties  the  same  energy,  the  same  spirit,  and  the 
same  will,  that  I  have  given  to  the  performance  of  all 
duties  which  have  devolved  on  me  heretofore.  Whether 
I  shall  be  able  to  perform  these  duties  to  your  entire 
satisfaction,  time  will  determine.  You  have  truly  said, 
in  the  course  of  your  address,  that  I  shall  have  no 
policy  of  my  own  to  force  against  the  will  of  the 
people." 

His  formal  letter  of  acceptance  was  sent  to  the 
committee  on  the  29th  of  the  same  month.  It  is  as 
follows :  — 


LETTER    OF    ACCEPTANCE.  409 

"In  formally  accepting  the  nomination  of  the  Na- 
tional Union  Republican  Convention  of  the  21st  of  May 
inst.,  it  seems  proper  that  some  statement  of  views  be- 
yond the  mere  acceptance  of  the  nomination  should  be 
expressed. 

"  The  proceedings  of  the  convention  were  marked  with 
wisdom,  moderation,  and  patriotism,  and,  I  believe,  ex- 
press the  feelings  of  the  great  mass  of  those  who  sustained 
the  country  through  its  recent  trials.  I  endorse  the  reso- 
lutions. 

"If  elected  to  the  office  of  President  of  the  United 
States,  it  will  be  my  endeavor  to  administer  all  the  laws  in 
good  faith,  with  economy,  and  with  the  view  of  giving 
peace,  quiet,  and  protection  everywhere.  In  times  like 
the  present,  it  is  impossible,  or  at  least  eminently  im- 
proper, to  lay  down  a  policy  to  be  adhered  to  right  or 
wrong,  through  an  administration  of  four  years.  New 
political  issues,  not  foreseen,  are  constantly  arising ;  the 
views  of  the  public  on  old  ones  are  constantly  changing ; 
and  a  purely  administrative  officer  should  always  be  left 
free  to  execute  the  will  of  the  people.  I  have  always 
respected  that  will,  and  always  shall. 

"Peace  and  universal  prosperity  —  its  sequence  —  with 
the  economy  of  administration,  will  lighten  the  burden  of 
taxation,  while  it  constantly  reduces  the  National  debt. 
Let  us  have  peace." 

The  Democrats  nominated  Horatio  Seymour  of  New 
York,  with  Frank  P.  Blair  of  Missouri  as  vice-presi- 
dent.    Seymour  was   not  an  ardent  sympathizer  with 


410  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

the  war,  but  had  not  made  himself  particularly  ob- 
noxious to  those  who  supported  it.  Blair  had  fought 
bravely  during  the  war  on  the  Northern  side,  and  at- 
tained the  rank  of  major-general.  He  had  been  an 
emphatic  friend  of  the  Union  cause ;  and  though  he 
had  modified  his  views  somewhat  after  the  war,  it  is 
probable  that  his  vanity  had  more  to  do  with  his 
nomination  than  any  views  which  he  held  regarding 
political  policy.  Schuyler  Colfax,  who  was  the  can- 
didate for  the  vice-presidency  with  Grant,  was  a  thor- 
oughly loyal  Unionist,  and  had  been  a  speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  where  he  performed  excel- 
lent services. 

Grant  and  Colfax  were  elected,  receiving  214  elec- 
toral votes  against  80  for  Seymour  and  Blair.  Grant 
was  duly  inaugurated  on  the  4th  of  March,  1869,  and 
at  the  end  of  his  term  of  four  years,  was  again  elected. 
Tradition  and  custom  limit  the  holding  of  the  presi- 
dential office  by  one  man  to  two  terms.  No  attempt 
was  made  to  nominate  Grant  in  1876 ;  but  in  1880 
his  friends  made  a  strong  effort  to  secure  his  nomina- 
tion for  a  third  term.  His  name  was  presented  to 
the  convention,  and  for  thirty-six  ballots  received  a 
vote  that  was  never  lower  than  302  nor  higher  than 
313.  On  most  of  the  ballots  his  vote  stood  at  306  ; 
and  a  medal  was  afterwards  struck  for  the  faithful 
ones  who   adhered  to  him  from  the  first  to  the  last. 


GRANT   AS   PRESIDENT.  411 

There  is  no  doubt  that  he  would  have  received 
the  nomination,  had  it  not  been  for  the  prevailing 
prejudice  against  a  third  term.  Many  of  his  warm 
admirers  voted  against  him,  and  openly  gave  this  pre- 
judice as  a  reason  for  doing  so.  After  a  long  and 
excited  meeting,  the  convention  compromised  on 
James  A.  Garfield,  who  received  the  nomination. 
From  that  time  on,  General  Grant  had  no  part  in  the 
politics  of  the  day. 

During  his  two  terms  in  the  presidential  office 
General  Grant  displayed  the  same  earnestness,  truth- 
fulness, honesty,  and  energy  that  had  characterized 
him  during  his  career  as  a  soldier.  In  his  inaugural 
address  he  declared  that  the  Government  bonds  should 
be  paid  in  gold,  advocated  the  speedy  return  to  specie 
payments,  and  made  a  goodly  number  of  recommenda- 
tions concerning  public  affairs.  On  the  subject  of 
the  national  honor,  he  was  very  emphatic  in  saying 
that  it  should  be  understood  everywhere  "  that  no 
repudiator  of  a  single  farthing  of  our  public  debt 
will  be  trusted  in  public  places ;  and  it  will  go  far 
towards  strengthening  the  credit  which  ought  to  be 
the  best  in  the  world ;  and  will  ultimately  enable  us 
to  replace  the  debt  with  bonds  bearing  less  interest 
than  we  now  pay." 

He  advocated  the  Fifteenth  Amendment  of  the  Con- 
stitution, which  guaranteed  the  right  of  suffrage  with- 


412  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

out  regard  to  race,  color,  or  previous  condition  of 
servitude.  In  proclaiming  its  adoption,  he  said  that 
he  regarded  it  as  a  measure  of  grander  importance 
than  any  other  one  act  of  the  kind  since  the  founda- 
tion of  the  government. 

General  Grant  favored  the  annexation  of  San  Do- 
mingo to  the  United  States,  and  was  much  disappointed 
at  the  failure  of  the  annexation  movement.  He  took 
strong  ground  in  favor  of  civil  service  reform,  and 
earnestly  urged  upon  Congress  the  necessity  of 
building  up  our  merchant  marine,  and  extending  our 
foreign  commerce.  Perhaps  the  most  important  meas- 
ure of  his  administration  was  the  negotiation  with 
Great  Britain  of  the  Treaty  of  Washington,  which  led 
to  the  settlement  of  the  so-called  Alabama  claims,  and 
removed  the  cause  of  an  irritation  between  the  two 
countries  which  at  one  time  threatened  to  lead  to  war. 

There  was  considerable  trouble  in  the  South  at 
different  times,  owing  to  the  reconstruction  measures, 
and  the  treatment  of  the  colored  people.  The  Presi- 
dent was  greatly  abused  for  his  action ;  but  what 
President  has  ever  escaped  censure  ?  During  his 
administration,  the  national  debt  was  reduced  more 
than  $450,000,000,  and  the  taxes  more  than  $300,000- 
000.  The  balance  of  trade  was  $130,000,000  in  favor 
of  this  country,  where  it  previously  was  $130,000,000 
against  it.     He  left  the  country  far  more    prosperous 


TOUR  AROUND  THE  WORLD.  413 

at  the  end  of  his  two  terms  than  when  he  was  first 
seated  in  the  presidential  chair.  Many  troublesome 
questions  had  been  settled,  the  Southern  States  had 
all  been  reconstructed,  and  the  first  trans-continental 
railway  had  been  completed  between  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  Oceans. 

Shortly  after  retiring  from  the  presidency,  on  the 
4th  of  March,  1877,  General  Grant  decided  to  visit  the 
Old  World,  and  see  something  of  a  part  of  the  globe 
which  he  had  never  looked  upon.  He  sailed  from 
Philadelphia  on  the  17th  of  May,  on  the  steamer  In- 
diana, accompanied  by  his  wife  and  one  son.  A  large 
fleet  of  commercial  and  naval  vessels  accompanied 
him  down  the  river,  the  shipping  in  the  harbor  was 
dressed  in  flags,  and  salutes  were  fired  in  his  honor. 
He  arrived  at  Liverpool  May  28,  and  his  reception 
was  quite  equal  to  his  farewell  when  he  left  his  native 
shores.  Everywhere  that  lie  went  in  Great  Britain  he 
was  cordially  welcomed  and  magnificently  received. 
The  freedom  of  all  cities  that  he  visited  was  presented 
to  him  ;  he  was  officially  received  by  the  Queen  and 
the  Prince  of  Wales;  banquets  and  receptions  were 
accorded  to  him  ;  and  the  whole  British  nation  seemed 
determined  to  make  him  feel  thoroughly  at  home. 
Addresses  of  welcome  were  showered  upon  him,  and 
lie  received  the  most  enthusiastic  greeting  from  the 
mass  of  the  population. 


•414  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

On  the  Continent  he  received  the  same  distinction 
from  crowned  heads  that  had  been  shown  him  in 
England,  and  also  from  the  people  of  every  rank  and 
degree.  Military  reviews,  banquets,  and  grand  recep- 
tions followed  each  other  in  rapid  succession.  He  bore 
himself  at  all  times  with  characteristic  modesty,  and 
would  have  gladly  escaped,  had  it  been  possible,  from 
the  distinguished  courtesies  that  were  showered  upon 
him. 

On  the  U.  S.  man-of-war  Vandalia,  which  had  been 
placed  at  his  disposal,  he  made  a  cruise  into  the  Med- 
iterranean, and  visited  Ital}r,  the  Holy  Land,  and 
Egypt.  In  January,  1879,  he  went  to  India,  landing  at 
Bombay,  and  afterwards  visited  all  the  principal  cities 
of  that  country.  His  progress  was  like  that  of  an 
emperor  making  a  journey  through  his  own  domains, 
and  has  been  admirably  described  by  Hon.  John  Russell 
Young,  who  accompanied  him,  in  a  work  entitled, 
''Around  the  World  with  General  Grant.'' 

From  India  he  went  to  Burmah,  and  from  Burmah 
to  the  Malay  peninsula,  Siam,  and  Cochin-China,  arriv- 
ing at  Hong  Kong  April  30.  The  King  of  Siam, 
to  whom  he  was  presented  by  Colonel  Sickles,  the 
consul-general,  showed  him  the  highest  honors,  and 
took  great  pains  to  make  his  stay  an  agreeable  one. 
In  China  he  received  greater  honors  than  had  ever 
before    been    shown    to    any    foreigner,   and    he    was 


IN   CHINA    AND   JAPAN.  415 

requested  by  Prince  Kung  to  act  as  sole  arbitrator 
in  the  settlement  of  a  dispute  between  China  and 
Japan  concerning  the  Loo  Choo  Islands. 

From  China  he  went  to  Japan,  where  he  was  re- 
ceived by  a  delegation  of  imperial  officers,  and  be- 
came a  special  guest  of  the  emperor.  His  course 
through  Japan  was  a  course  of  gloiy;  and  the  enter- 
tainments that  were  made  in  his  honor  surpassed 
anything  that  had  ever  before  been  made  in  Japan. 
He  sailed  from  Yokohama  for  San  Francisco  on  the 
3d  of  September,  and  reached  his  destination  on  the 
20th.  Here  a  grand  ovation  awaited  him ;  an  im- 
mense contrast  to  the  reception  he  received  when 
lie  first  visited  the  Pacific  Coast  as  a  lieutenant  of 
the  Fourth  Infantry.  Banquets  and  receptions  met 
him  all  the  way  from  the  western  to  the  eastern 
coast. 

In  the  following  year  General  Grant  visited  Cuba 
and  Mexico.  In  the  latter  country  he  was  greeted 
with  the  greatest  enthusiasm  by  all  classes  of  the 
people,  who  regarded  him  as  their  stanchest  friend 
in  the  da}'S  when  they  suffered  from  foreign  inva- 
sion. Everywhere  he  went  throughout  the  Mexican 
Republic,  he  received  the  highest  official  and  personal 
courtesies. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  General  Grant  has  seen 
and    been    seen    by    more    men    than    any    other    man 


416  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

who  ever  lived;  and  if  the  reader  will  reflect  for  a 
moment  he  will  see  that  this  supposition  is  doubt- 
less correct.  In  his  own  country  during  the  Civil 
War  his  eyes  must  have  rested  upon  a  great  many 
thousands  of  soldiers,  both  Union  and  Confederate. 
Add  to  these  the  crowds  that  thronged  the  streets 
of  every  city  which  he  visited,  and  on  every  road 
that  he  traveled  during  the  later  years  of  the  war, 
the  years  that  followed,  and  during  his  two  terms 
of  the  presidency.  Add  to  these  the  immense  crowds 
that  greeted  him  everywhere,  and  the  soldiers  in  the 
grand  reviews  given  in  his  honor  in  his  triumphal 
journey  of  nearly  thirty  months  through  the  coun- 
tries of  Europe  and  Asia.  Add  to  these,  again,  the 
great  throng  that  greeted  him  on  his  return  to  the 
Pacific  Coast,  and  the  throngs  that  met  him  on  his 
journey  from  that  coast  to  the  Atlantic.  Unite  .all 
these  myriads  together,  and  it  is  safe  to  conclude 
that  no  man  who  ever  lived  before  or  since  General 
Grant  has  seen  so  many  people  as  had  our  great 
commander. 

After  the  failure  of  his  friends  to  nominate  him  for 
the  third  term  to  the  presidency,  General  Grant  bought 
a  house  ,  in  New  York,  making  his  home  there  in 
winter,  and  spending  his  summers  in  Long  Branch. 
He  invested  his  savings  in  the  banking-house  of 
Grant   &    Ward,    one    of   his   sons   being    a  partner  in 


WRITING   HIS   MEMOIRS.  417 

the  concern.  For  a  time  the  house  prospered  im- 
mensely ;  but  in  May,  1884,  the  firm  suddenly  col- 
lapsed, and  it  was  found  out  that  two  of  the  partners 
had  been  guilty  of  the  most  unblushing  frauds,  which 
left  the  general  and  his  family  hopelessly  bankrupt. 
He  now  turned  to  the  use  of  his  pen  for  the  sup- 
port of  his  family.  Hitherto  he  had  refused  many 
flattering  offers ;  but  on  manifesting  a  willingness  to 
perform  literary  work,  he  was  immediately  besieged 
by  publishers. 

The  result  of  his  negotiations  was  a  contract 
to  write  his  personal  memoirs,  to  be  published  in 
two  volumes.  The  contract  was  made  in  February, 
1885;  and  he  immediately  set  about  the  performance 
of  his  task,  which  he  completed  in  July  of  the  same 
year,  and  only  four  days  before  his  death.  The 
larger  part  of  the  work  was  written  with  his  own 
hand  while  sitting  propped  up  in  bed  or  in  a  re- 
clining chair.  The  remaining  portion  was  dictated 
to  his  secretaries,  and  he  was  greatly  assisted  by  his 
sons  and  other  friends  in  the  collection  and  prepa- 
ration of  materials. 

The  sales  of  the  book  were  enormous,  reaching 
nearly  four  hundred  thousand  sets,  and  bringing  to 
Mis.  Grant  a  royalty  of  not  far  from  half  a  million 
dollars,  the  largest  sum  ever  received  by  an  author 
or  his  representatives  for  the  sale  of  any  single  work. 


418  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

In  the  summer  of  1884,  General  Grant  was  puzzled 
to  find  himself  suffering  with  a  sore  throat,  with- 
out having  taken  a  preliminary  cold  which  usually 
precedes  an  affection  of  that  sort.  He  consulted  his 
family  physician,  who  called  in  a  specialist;  and  the 
result  of  their  consultation  was  the  decision  that  the 
general  was  suffering  from  cancer  of  the  tongue. 
The  disease  steadily  progressed ;  and  when  the  news 
of  his  affliction  became  public,  the  sympathies  of  the 
nation  and  the  world  were  aroused.  Congress  passed 
a  bill  making  him  a  general  on  the  retired  list,  and 
thus  restored  him  to  his  former  rank  in  the  army. 
Messages  of  the  warmest  sympathy  came  to  him 
from  all  directions ;  and  they  greatly  cheered  him, 
although  he  knew  that  his  disease  was  necessarily 
fatal.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  he  labored  as  in- 
dustriously over  his  memoirs  as  he  did,  in  order 
that  he  might  make  provision  for  his  family.  In  all 
his  life  there  was  nothing  that  better  illustrated  his 
bulldog  determination  and  persistence  than  his  final 
struggle  against  disease,  and  his  performance  of  lit- 
erary work  under  circumstances  that  would  have 
appalled  and  disheartened  any  other  literary  worker 
who  ever  lived. 

General  Grant  lingered  and  labored  in  his  city  resi- 
dence until  June  16,  1885,  when  lie  was  removed  to 
the   Drexel    Cottage  on   Mount  Magregor,   near  Sara- 


DEATH.  419 

toga,  N.Y.  Here  he  spent  the  last  five  weeks  of 
his  life,  which  ended  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning 
of  Thursday,  July  23,  in  the  presence  of  his  family 
and  a  few  intimate  friends. 

The  remains  were  taken  to  New  York,  guarded  by 
a  detachment  of  soldiers  from  the  United  States 
Army,  and  an  escort  of  veterans  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic.  On  Saturday,  Aug.  8,  a  public 
funeral  took  place,  which  was  the  most  magnificent 
affair  of  the  kind  ever  given  in  this  country.  In 
the  military  escort  there  were  soldiers  from  Vir- 
ginia and  other  States  that  joined  in  the  Rebellion  ; 
and  distinguished  officers  of  the  Confederate  army 
rode  in  carriages  side  by  side  with  officers  equally 
distinguished  in  the  army  of  the  United  States.  The 
body  was  deposited  in  a  temporary  tomb  in  River- 
side Park,  on  a  high  point  overlooking  the  Hudson 
River ;  and  a  magnificent  monument  has  been  erected 
over  the  remains. 

The  whole  country  mourned  the  loss  that  had  fallen 
upon  it ;  and  thousands  of  sympathetic  messages  came 
to  the  bereaved  family,  not  only  from  all  parts  of 
America,  but  from  lands  beyond  the  seas.  Well  may 
it  be  said  thai  the  death  of  General  Grant  caused 
universal  sorrow  in  all  quarters  of  the  globe. 

So  ends  the  story  of  the  life  of  General  Grant; 
a  life  which  teaches  a  lesson  of  patience  and  honesty, 


420  boys'  life  of  general  grant. 

of  character  and  purpose  ;  loyalty  to  country  and 
friends ;  perseverance  always  in  the  right ;  firm  deter- 
mination to  overcome  all  obstacles ;  and  unflinching 
fidelity  until  the  desired  end  is  attained.  It  -was 
a  life  which  began  with  disappointments,  but  was 
magnificently  triumphant  in  its  later  part.  And  of 
the  names  in  American  history  that  will  be  carried 
down  to  future  generations,  none  will  be  more  con- 
spicuous, or  shine  with  greater  luster,  than  that  of 
ULYSSES   S.    GRANT. 

THE    END. 


^/ 


\ 


HiiJilJiii 


